Nine Lives: It's Time to End That Cliffhanger
by theregoesnash
Summary: Chalek falling in love the Chalek way-with jealousy and games.
1. Chapter 1

**Before you read the story, know that I'm a true die hard Chalek fan. **

**The thing was though that I kept reading all these fanfictions where Chloe's just like "Eh, whatevs, I'm over that guy who I just killed-wheres alek? I just realized after all that time that I totally LOVE HIM!"**

**...It just didn't seem realistic to me at all and I couldn't get over it. So here's my take on what happens after the finale. Don't claw my eyes out ;) **

****I own nothing...obviously?****

_No. _

_He's not dead. He's not. _

I slap Brian on the cheek lightly and refuse to acknowledge how deathly pale it is.

"Time to wake up, Brian. It's not funny," I can't breathe. My throat is closed and darkness threatens its way into the corners of my vision.

By instinct my claws shoot out and I grab him by his cold stiff shoulders, shaking him harder than probably necessary.

"WAKE UP!" I'm shrieking, voice breaking with panic. My voice echoes off the theater walls in pure hysterics. How is it possible that this place was ever filled with anything but pain?

I bury my head into his shirt and begin to sob. He still smells of his cologne, the scent I'd clung onto for so many weeks. I dreamt of kissing those lips. Each time he leaned in on all those "just friends" dates, I'd wanted more than anything to lean back. To give in, let my guard down. But each time I was responsible, pulling away before it was too late.

Not this time. Bastet, how is this fair? I had just died from three fatal gunshots, how would I have had the strength to push him away?

It was exactly what I imagined it to be. He was so soft and warm and desperate. For a moment I forgot about everything. Forgot about the Mai, the shot, the curse, even Alek. All I wanted was to melt into that kiss. It was just a minute too late that my thoughts caught up with me.

I love you. I love you Chloe. Those were his last words, that he loved me. This is the price you pay for loving the Uniter? I thought I was supposed to bring people together.

After a while I sit up. My head is clouded with tears and there's no more room for thoughts. I feel cold and numb. Is this what murder feels like? With that boy in the dance club...I never fully understood that I was the one to kill him. Everyone came up with excuses, reasons why it wasn't me. But there's no denying it this time.

Brian. Beautiful, innocent, naïve Brian, is lying as a corpse on a deserted theater floor. And there's no one else to blame this time.

I gently lift his head and place it on my lap. He's dead, Chloe. Leave him alone...But I can't. I brush his hair away from his face and stroke his cheek, trying to will him back to life. As if my thoughts alone could push those eyes to open.

Tears spill at their own will and splash against his shirt. I hear footsteps but I refuse to look at anyone but him. Only him, till the day I die. Yet even then this nightmare won't be over. They have to keep bringing me back, again and again, forcing me to continue this pain. Why can't they go away? All of them, just go! I never want to see a single Mai again for as long as I live.

Finally I look up with eyes as hollow as my broken heart to see Amy and Paul stumble their way in. Witnesses to absorb my crime. I killed him I want to tell them, but the words get caught in my throat. I love him I want to cry, but there's no point in saying it now. He'd never get the chance to hear me say it. Any love for him that I felt before is only amplified now with guilt and longing.

"Paul," my voice cracks. "you've been listening to everything about the curse. Is there any way he could live?"

Paul swallows and takes a step towards me. "Was-wasn't Alek saying something about-about paralysis?"

I take in a quick breath and remember.

"Paul! You're right! You're a GENIUS!" I can't help but grin at this possibility, at this last shred of hope.

"I am?" He raises an eyebrow, looking from me to Amy and back to me. "I mean, yeah. I am! Lucky for you that I'm _your _sidekick, huh? Now about my nickname..."

But I'm not listening to Paul anymore, all I can think about is Brian. What does paralysis even really mean? Is it like a coma? Wouldn't he be breathing?

Maybe this curse is a different kind of paralysis. Surely it doesn't follow the same rules that normal human diseases do. Doctors would probably have all sorts of techniques to wake up Brian, but that doesn't mean any of them would work.

I have an idea. It can't really make anything worse if Brian really is dead. I bite my lip and lock eyes with Amy. She cocks her head to the side, eyes concerned.

"What is it, Chloe?" she asks, walking towards me. "Do you know something we don't?" her eyes narrow at the thought that she might be out of the loop.

"No, but I'm desperate enough to pretend I do," I respond.

This is it. I cradle Brian's head in my arms and trace his lips with my fingertips. I take a deep breath and lean in for one final kiss...

**I have two more chapters already written but I'm not posting until I get some reviews! Hop to it! :D**

**P.S. It bothers me when people push them together without making either side work for it.. the show wouldn't have gone like that. expect banter :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**I'm gonna keep this short cos I know most of you will just skip it and go straight to the story anyways... THANKS FOR THE SUBS AND PLEASE REVIEW SO I KNOW WHAT TO CHANGE AND OR FIX :D**

"_Briiiiiiiiiiiing!"_

"Please shut up Alek," I grumble and tuck my head under my pillow.

"You've got to admit, I make one hell of an alarm clock."

"I hear those things are in great demand," I mutter from under the cloth. "Why don't you go to Best Buy and see if someone will take you?"

He plops himself down at the foot of my bed. "Eh, I think you'll do. Ready to keep me?" I don't have to look at his face, that smug smile is etched into my brain and I know he's wearing it now.

"Wipe away that stupid smile, Alek," I say while flailing my arm in an attempt to hit him. "No one's falling for it around here."

"That's only because you aren't looking," he teases, grabbing away my pillow with lightning speed.

"I hate you." I retort sleepily, trying to pull my covers over my head. Just as I'm about to emerge into darkness, its pulled away.

Alek stands over me waving it in my face. "You wish that was even possible," he chuckles. "Up and at em, kitty." Ever notice how British people over pronounce their double t's? Kit-tee. I'd giggle if I wasn't so exhausted. "It's time for another glorious night of me kicking your tail till tomorrow!"

So much has changed yet he remains exactly the same. My mom's near death, the funeral of the Mai's leader, Jasmine slowly recovering, my kiss saving Brian...none of it seems to faze him. I'm glad. At least one of us is remaining sane.

I toss my feet over the edge of the bed and take in a deep yawn. Then another. And another...

"Stop it. You're making _me_ tired." He complains, stifling his own yawn.

"Great. Then maybe I'll finally get some sleep tonight."

"Cute. Let's go. Time to teach the Uniter how to fight."

He leaps up and in a flash stands outside of my window. Without glancing back he begins to pounce

across my neighbors roofs.

I pout, staring at where he was.

"I know how to fight..." I say defensively then sigh. Everything but my emotions.

I quickly change out of my pajamas and get ready to meet at our training field.

Another exciting day in the life of Chloe King.


	3. Chapter 3

**I watched a ton of Chalek moments to try to get the characters down...wanna let me know if I did a good job? :) Remember to please pleaseee review! I have nothing else written and I'm not starting until I get some feedback ;)**

"Today we learn the fine art of blocking." Alek declares in that impeccable accent of his.

I scrunch up my nose. "Blocking, Alek? I thought you were teaching me how to fight, not run away."

"In many cases it's better to just not get hurt. You're down to eight lives, Chloe."

Oh. Yeah. Slight detail that he doesn't know about...

"Seven." I correct, preparing myself for whatever's to come.

"Pardon me?" He takes a step and suddenly looms over my head.

"Um. Seven." I repeat, slightly losing eye contact and whatever drive I had.

"You died once, Chloe. Nine minus one is eight. Americans..."

"I lost another life, Alek. That night with Brian in the theater. I was...shot."

He shakes his head slowly. "You're bluffing."

I stare at the muddy ground. "Why would I?"

There's a beat of pure, empty silence before he hurls his fist at a tree. "Damn it!" He yells. "Why didn't you tell me Chloe?"

"Because I was scared you would do something stupid! Oh look-you did." I spit out. The huge oak now has a dent the size of a melon. "It was my fault and I take full responsi-"

"You have to stop thinking like that," Alek warns me, his voice low and threatening. "You aren't the only one at risk here!"

"Stop telling me that!" I can't help but react the way he is-voice loud and borderline hysterical.

"I know it all already! I'm the Uniter, I have no life, my needs aren't importa-"

"Chloe," He rubs his eyes and leaves his hand covering them. His voice is tight and attempting control. "That's not true. Your needs come first. It's just when so much is at stake..."

I feel sudden guilt for stressing him out. He's only doing his job, I remind myself. I take a few steps forward and gently lower his hand from his vision.

"I'm sorry Alek. I guess I'm just embarrassed that I fell for such a cheap trick to begin with."

"Cheap trick?"

I softly retell everything-from Hannah Hannity to the final bullet.

"God. Chloe..." He closes me into a hug and for the first time I don't feel the immediate need to pull away.

"I should have been there to protect you," He whispers into my hair.

"I hurt you so badly that day, Alek. I don't blame you for a second for not wanting to be near me."

He goes stiff and releases me, taking a step backwards. Probably not so smart to bring that night up, especially since the little human in question is still an issue.

"It's no excuse. I'm a professional. It shouldn't have happened."

He's cold and distant, the way he always gets when his pride is put on the line.

I want to tell him it wasn't his fault but there's no point in talking to him when he's like this. He's never had a forbidden crush, he doesn't understand. Even if I can't be with Brian, I can't desert him either. He's my friend. Why can't Alek just push his stupid jealousy aside and comprehend that?

"Get ready," He warns and pulls back his fist. His face is determined and harsh, fight mode.

"I'm always ready," I give him a small smile, trying to make make the air breathable, and block my face.

Alek's eyes soften and he gently lowers his hand. "That's enough for tonight. C'mon let's get you home."

Usually I'd break into song at those words but I knew tonight wasn't because I'd completed the training. We're taking a break because he's exhausted. I single handedly broke him down. When he's still so fragile from Valentina's death, that's the last thing I should be doing.

"Don't give me that look, Chloe King."

"What look?" I ask innocently.

"The pity party look. I'm fine. We're actually leaving because you have a Chemistry test tomorrow that you haven't even studied for."

"You are such a creeper, Alek. How did you know about that?" I ask, only slightly joking.

"Uniter duty calls for certain stalking measures. It's in the job description, actually." He says seriously, giving me his signature smirk.

Looking at him now it's easy to see how I could have told Amy that day at the carnival that I liked him. Underneath this C.B mask he's one of the sweetest guys I know. Yeah, sometimes he messes up and acts like a total jerk, but it's usually with really good intentions. As long as I don't bring up Brian, things run really smooth between us.

I stare into his eyes and think, _Why is it that I love Brian? I can't date him, I can't kiss him. We should be the perfect match. But we aren't. Because you have to grow up before I can love you. _

"Yeah," I say finally, "Lets go back." I turn around, take a deep breath and start making my way home, trying not to crunch on too many leaves. After a few seconds I stop, realizing there are no footsteps following me.

I swivel around to see darkness. Would he really leave me to venture home alone? I mean, I'm all for the privacy and space but it just doesn't seem like him...

Suddenly I'm crushed into the ground by a dark figure. It tucks my hair behind my ear and whispers with a smile.

"Point Alek. _Now_ the lesson is over."


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey! Thanks so much for the subs and reviews- keep it up! I'm only gonna write if I know people are reading ;) **

****i own absolutely nothing...not sure why that's important xD****

Alek POV

"Alright Alek, you got me. Now time to get off." Chloe grunts as she tries once again to push me away. I nuzzle my nose against the back of her neck.

"You smell _very_ good." I remark as the most delicious smell makes its way through my senses.

"Nice try, but you already pulled that one on me." Her shoulder blades push against my chest and then fall back down.

I think back, trying to remember. It sounds familiar but then again I reuse a lot of my lines so its easy to lose track. When it comes down to it, Chloe's just another crush. Some pretty chick playing hard to get. If she didn't want me it was definitely all her loss.

...Right?

"Alek. _Off." _she repeats, adding a bit of steel into her tone.

I flash a grin though its wasted on her because the only thing she can see is the ground.

"I would, but there's such a great view..." I tease, brushing a strand of blond hair out of her face.

"I'm asking you nicely." Chloe warns. "You have three seconds."

Please. Like she's strong enough.

"One..." She's actually counting?

"Two..." My body presses down on her harder reflexively and I chuckle lightly.

"Three!"

Somehow I end up with my face pressed into the dirt and Chloe's boot digging into my spine.

"What the hell, Chloe?" My face burns and I'd like to pretend that it's because I'm angry.

She removes her heel and leans down to my ear. Cupping my chin, she turns my eyes to face her.

"Point King," she says softly. She then stands up and prances away like she's the Queen of the Nile.

I sit up and stare at her in disbelief. Since when can Chloe King handle Alek Petrov? I'd have to step it up a notch. No more Mr. nice kitty. I can still see her, still hear her. Her phone rings and she pauses to nervously chew on her lip. Chloe looks around her in that way that screams, I'm about to do something wrong! She hides behind a tree while I crouch low to the ground. I train my ears to hear only her, blocking out the thousands of other noises.

"Hey," she says in that cute flirty way of hers. There's only one guy she uses that voice on. I inwardly flinch and my hand closes around a rock, squeezing it until my knuckles go white. "No, I'm not busy at all- what's up?" That's another thing. When I'm not in Chloe's sight, I'm completely out of her mind. Didn't she remember us hanging out, I don't know, twenty seconds ago? I mean, yeah it was training, but that didn't mean we were only there because we had to be. Unless that's the way she saw it...

"...Oh. I don't know if I can do that, Brian. Alek-" She stops talking suddenly and I could tell he cut her off. Alek what? Finish the damn sentence, Chloe!

"I know, Brian. Really, I do. The thing is though-" I was ready to punch the guy in the face for not letting her talk. How am I supposed to listen in when there's nothing to listen to?

She starts tapping her fingers against the bark, like she was seriously contemplating something.

"...Fine. Meet me at the theater in 20 minutes." She quickly hangs up and pockets her phone, then starts running towards her car. Fortunately this is one thing I'm still better at. I catch up to her in no time and grab her arm, spinning her around to face me.

"Chloe, what's going on?" I demand, feeling my face scowl.

Her face goes white. For once Chloe King is speechless.

**And that's all for now folks! Reviewreviewreview. Let me know what you think Brian wants from Chloe :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Keep up with the reviews and I'll keep up with the chapters! :D**

Chloe POV

"I was just...I was just um...just um..." Damn it, Chloe! Think of something!

"Going to see Brian," Alek says, eyes narrowing.

He must have heard. God, I hate Mai hearing sometimes.

"Yes. Exactly." I say, voice clear and confident. No point in lying now...Besides, in his mind he shouldn't have a single argument. I've told him time and time again that I wasn't going to stop talking to Brian, so why should he think tonight is any different?

"Why?" he asks in his most deadly voice. The voice that makes my goosebumps do jumping jacks on my skin.

"None of your business," I try answering in the same tone, but fail miserably. It ends up sounding shrill and defensive.

He takes a step towards me and leans over me against my car. I'm trapped between the car door and Alek's chest.

"Chloe, stop playing games. You know I heard you talking to him on the phone, which means I heard you say my name."

I look at him in the eyes and try to keep my voice as level as possible. "I was saying you wouldn't want me to go because I know how jealous you get."

"Jealous? Me? Pfft!" He exclaims, voice incredulous. He releases me and takes a step back. "You just flatter yourself to no end, don't you, Chloe King? Newsflash-not every boy you meet falls head over heels for you."

Ouch. Why was he acting like this? Like we never had that conversation about him liking me, twice.

"I never said that, Alek..." I answer slowly.

"You know what? Have fun with Brian. Maybe even kiss him again, eh?"

Now he was just being stupid. Either he was saying he didn't care if I did, which kind of hurt, or he wanted to watch Brian die again. Neither option was exactly attractive. I glance at my watch quickly to see that I'm already five minutes late to meet Brian.

"Listen Alek," I say then look up. But I'm too late. He's gone.

Alek POV

I can't think straight. My mind is a blur of red flashing fury.

Bastet! She gets me so frustrated sometimes!

She honestly thought I was jealous of that scrawny, pathetic, hat wearing _loser_?

And where the hell does she get off assuming I still like her?

She thinks she's got me on some kind of hook. I admitted my feelings and she toyed with them, keeping them locked away in case her first choice didn't work out. Saying lies about how she needed time.

Well if she can't see that we're meant to be together, that's fine with me. Let her play around with the human and learn what the word consequence really means.

Two can play at this game, Chloe King. I've got my own set of toys.


	6. Chapter 6

**Thanks for the subs and reviews, guys! Please keep it up! well...the reviews. You can't sub twice xD**

Brian POV

Wednesday two weeks ago had been one of those mad frustrating days where everything seemed to go wrong. Chloe kissing Alek...God, I still can't get that picture out of my head. She kept pushing me away, saying she needed time. Funny how all she really needed was Mr. Cocky with his irritating accent and confusion over who Chloe really liked around here to smother her with his tongue. I could have punched him, but that didn't seem to really work in my favor the last time I tried it. If I couldn't get angry, I'd have to settle with dealing with the pain. I felt like such a pathetic loser that night, making her chase after me.

"I can explain," she had said. Explain what, Chloe? How your mouth magically attached itself to his?

I think we can all pretty much agree that it wasn't my day. And let's not forget the part where Chloe was shot and I was poisoned to the point of paralysis. I'm still on total edge. So many people, pushing and pressing for details that I don't have a clue about. My dad and some red headed lady that worked for him were the most persistent. _She died? Are you sure? Brian, look at me, are you sure she stopped breathing? _What was with them and their creepy questions?

Next was my grandmother, calling every a day, insisting in that kind but intimidating way of hers that there must be _something_ I remember that could be of use...they all wanted to know the whole story. To be honest, I do recall a lot, but I'm not explaining everything until I confirm it with Chloe.

Chloe...All I want is for her to come and explain this to me. I'm desperate for it. I'm tired of asking day after day, only to get the same answer each and every time. "Later Brian, I promise." And the way she said it too...as if it was hurting her more than me. It couldn't be.

Because here's the thing. After everything, I love Chloe, and there doesn't seem to be anything she could to do that would hurt me to the point where I'd stop. I love that adorable smile of hers, the way she pronounces her words. I love the way her eyes get all soft when I'm telling her a story, the way she laughs when I'm not even trying to be funny. I love being able to-...gosh. Rambling about Chloe, aren't I? Seems to be a habit of mine...The point is, I care about her and I want to give her all the space she needs, but I can't wait forever.

I'm kind of getting the feeling that unless I push her to tell me, the answers will never come out. I hate pressuring her, it makes me feel furious with myself...but its been two weeks. I can't handle not knowing any longer. That's why I had to call her today, to convince her to talk to me. When she brought up Alek though, I couldn't hold in the jealousy and pain anymore. It seemed to just...spill out.

"I thought you said you told him we were just friends, Chloe," I cut her off, angrily. "I thought you told me he wasn't going to make or break our friendship. I thought-" but I couldn't. I couldn't yell at her. I took a deep breathe and began again calmly. "I really need to talk to you. Please. Just a few minutes and I'll never bother you again."

I waited for her to say I was never a bother, but it didn't come. That's what I get for fishing.

I look down at my watch. She was supposed to be here ten minutes ago. Maybe she isn't coming...I rub my eyes and take in a deep yawn.

"Cmon Brian, I'm not _that_ late." My head snaps up and I break into a grin. Chloe's voice does that to me.

Chloe POV

Brian has the most beautiful smile. His eyes get all squinty and glittery while the rest of his face completely lights up. It's the kind of smile that's completely contagious and I find myself easily smiling back.

"I was starting to think you wouldn't come," he says, patting the empty space on the wall next to him. I walk over slowly, sliding my phone into my pocket. I had just finished texting Alek, telling him I had gotten to the theater safely. Not that he cared anymore, but I'd promised to give him a constant update of where I was ever since life number eight slipped by.

"You sounded pretty upset over the phone. How could I not?" I say almost inaudibly. I'm too used to Alek and I don't even remember anymore what sounds humans can hear.

"Chloe," He says gently and we make eye contact. "I'm sorry for making you come...but...I need to find out what happened that night. The night I...The night we kissed."

Its hard not to break away from his stare but I force myself to keep still. "What's the last thing you remember?" I ask, panic making it's way through my thoughts. What if he already knows I'm a freak?

"I saw you lying on the floor, a puddle of blood all around you. God, I swear Chloe, my heart stopped. I ran to you as fast as I could but you weren't breathing. Until...until you were. I was so grateful and happy and...and I know you said not to kiss you, that you weren't ready, but I couldn't hold it back any longer. I'm so sorry." His eyebrows slant against his eyes, making him look so desperately sincere.

"Then what?" I whisper, scared of what might come next.

"You're an brilliant kisser." Not what I meant Brian, I want to say, but I can't bring myself to interrupt him. "It was everything I wanted it to be and more..." he says intensely as his hand reaches up and cups my chin gently. "God this is hard to talk about with you here looking all beautiful." He looks hopeful, like he might get another kiss.

I feel my cheeks blush as I try to look at anywhere but his lips. And it's hard not to love you with you being all sweet...

"And then...?" I ask, my eyes on the floor. His hand drops from my face, clearly disappointed.

"Then...I think I remember falling. Somehow I ended up looking up at your face. I wanted to talk to you, but I couldn't force a sound. You were crying and I wished more than anything that I could ask you why, so maybe somehow I could fix it. My ears felt muffled, like cotton had been stuffed in, layer after layer. The last thing I remember was you leaning down over my head, my lips touching yours," He finished softy, a small smile playing on his lips. "Then it went black for a while and I woke up in my bed."

"Brian..." I start to say, but he stops me.

"I know what you're gonna say. You're gonna tell me I'm crazy. That it was all just a dream. But I know it wasn't, Chloe. I know what I saw was real." His voice pleads with me, and my heart melts. What would Alek tell me to do? Besides for "get the hell out of there and never talk to that stupid human again!"

I look deep into his eyes, trying to see if there's even a trace of deception.

It's time to make a decision. The entire truth or the ultimate lie?


	7. Chapter 7

**Basically this chapter had to be written so you guys could see where the heck I went from last chapter and for just realistic reasons...The thing is though I reaaally like the next chapter and I'm too excited to wait for your opinions, so tonight I give you two! Hang in through the Brian frustration, Alek nummingness is coming and it couldn't without this background! :)**

Chloe POV

"...and I'm their Uniter," I finish off. "Its my job to bring all the races together." I take in a breath and bite my lip, waiting for his reaction. So far he's just listened, nodding in all the right spaces. "So..." I say, not making the situation awkward _at all. "_What do you think?"

"I think...I think its a lot to process," he chuckles nervously, running his fingers through his hair.

"Tell me about it." I answer, rolling my eyes. "I probably went through the denial stage every time I accidentally did..." I extend my claws "...that."

Brian's eyes widen and he pulls his shirt down over his shoulder to reveal five red holes etched into his skin. Four in a row, one slighty off to the left and down. "Is that how I got these?" he asks me as though he isn't sure he wants to hear the answer.

"Um. Right. About that. See, I thought you were dead and it just kind of...happened." I finish lamely.

"Alright then..." he says slowly, lifting his sleeve back up. "So tell me if I got this right. You wouldn't kiss me because of the Mai curse. Mai can't kiss humans because they'll die."

"Or they'll be paralyzed," I correct.

"Or they'll be paralyzed," He repeats. "But you kissed Alek and he's fine." Brian's eyes are full of suspicion.

"Alek's Mai too." I say quickly. "Sorry, forgot to mention that..."

"Well then. I guess that clears up almost everything."

"Almost?" I ask.

"How come I'm here and perfectly normal? Why am I not dead or in a state of paralysis like you said?"

"I asked Jasmine about that." He gives me a confused look. "Another Mai girl. She goes to my school. Dark hair and brown eyes? You've seen her before...Anyway, she's the new leader of the Mai but she hasn't quite learnt everything yet. Her theory is that since the Uniter's job is to unite, the curse might not apply to her," He looks a little lost. "Meaning me," I clarify.

I could tell Brian wasn't really listening to me, but at that final part his eyes light up. "So we _can_ be together!" he grins and takes my hand.

For some reason my stomach lurches and I pull my hand away. He looks at me confused and hurt. Shoot. Chloe, do something!

"Brian," Thinkthinkthink... "we don't know for sure and I'm not risking your life. We need to wait until Jasmine is absolutely positive."

And even then, Chloe? Would you want to date him then? Now that he's so suddenly attainable, now that the games have ended, do you still love him?

Of course I do, I snap at my inner voices. Speaking of which, when did those get there?


	8. Chapter 8

**My favorite chapter of all. I'm excited to see how you'll take it. Enjoy ^.^ **

"You can't let yourself be with him and it isn't because of the curse anymore," Alek remarks while studying the apple in his hand. The bell rings, signaling the end of lunch.

"Shut up, Alek. You don't know what the hell you're talking about," I say sharply, feeling suddenly annoyed. Maybe it's the way he's eyeing that fruit like a trapped mouse. I can't help feeling like there's an analogy going on here.

"Stop fighting me, Kitten. Stop fighting _us._" and with that he shines the apple on his shirt and takes a snapping bite.

"No need to fight what isn't there," I mutter under my breathe. "And quit being so freaking cliché, will you?" I slam my locker shut, and angrily walk to my next class, steam practically blowing out of my ears like some kind of comic book.

He easily keeps up with me. It's only because he has longer legs, I tell myself comfortingly.

One moment I'm reaching for my classroom door, the next I'm up against a locker. Alek casually leans his arm on the door behind me, absentmindedly spinning the lock.

"Let's see..." he breathes into my ear. "Seven for the lives you have left, two for the hearts you've broken and finally four. For the letters in my name. And don't even start counting, Brian has five," he smirks. "and so does idiot." when the dial reaches the number four, the locker clicks open.

I tilt my head to get a better view of what's inside. There's a picture of Alek on the right wall and one of Brian on the left. Stuck to the door of the locker is a mirror that outlines my face. With a shove, Alek pushes me inside. I scream, expecting to hit the back wall but...I don't? Somehow I begin to fall into spaceless darkness instead. I reach out around me, but there's nothing on either side. I look to where there's the faintest trace of light and see Alek's taunting face smirking at me from the hallway.

"Where am I, Alek?" I hear myself demand in a high pitched panicky voice.

"Your own heart. Let me know when you figure the way out."

He slams the locker door shut and I wake up, gasping for air. I curl in my knees and cry, terrified of the nightmare. It was so real. So...real.

"Chloe?" the voice is unmistakeably his. "Chloe, what's wrong? Did...did you have a nightmare?" His voice is full of concern and it's the first time I've heard him stumble over his words.

_Like you don't know!_ I feel like screaming. _Like you weren't the one trapping me! _

He reaches out to touch me and I flinch.

Too. Real.

**Review! Also a huge shoutout to InferiMaster, who is not only an adorable person, but an incredible writer. I think I improved my writing a drop just by reading her story :) **

**p.s. DON'T READ HER STORY UNLESS YOU HAVE TIME. You will be hooked and then you'll fail your psychology test xD**


	9. Chapter 9

**Ready for some chalek? I know I ammmm :) Remember to review, silly people! **

Alek sits next to me silently as I breath slowly for a few minutes, calming down. I thought he would leave after I went completely crazy on him, but for some reason he stuck around. After a little while I pick my head up and manage to look at him, though my face is probably red with embarrassment.

"Sorry," I mumble, then look down at hands resting on my lap.

"Just...tell me about it, okay? It'll make you feel better." How did he do it? Remain so confident and composed? _This is the real Alek, _my little voice tells me. _Not the terrifying, malicious one from your dream. That Alek only exists on the battlefield, laughing in the faces of those who try to hurt him. Or you._

It wasn't fair. Usually people had time to compose themselves a little while before seeing the subject of their nightmare. Especially if it's a friend and not a family member living at home. Mere seconds after I woke up gasping, he was there prodding at me. I try to rationalize my reaction in my mind because t's more comforting than thinking I'm insane.

"Can we just talk about it later?" I ask, still looking anywhere but his face.

"You might not remember everything later as clearly as you do now," he says. When did he become such a dream expert?

"Trust me," I mutter under my breathe, "This is something I'll never forget."

He lifts his left hand, hesitates, then gently touches my arm. _He's waiting to see how you'll react to him touching you, since you know, the last time he tried you acted like he was yielding a blood covered ax. _

"Please?" He asks quietly, and I can't fight his eyes any longer. They're full of concern and seem oddly protective with something I recognize as longing etched deep inside. _He still likes you._ Shut up, voice... He said he didn't. _He can _say _whatever he wants, but his eyes scream something entirely different. _

"You and I were walking down the hallway in school,"

Alek doesn't say anything but there's a hint of pain in those eyes now. _He's sad that it was him._ What, I have a little Amy living in my head now?

"Um, it was dumb really," I realize as I'm talking how dramatic I acted and I feel so incredibly stupid. "We were just talking and there was this locker and you were saying seven for my lives, two for...my best friends, and four for the letters in your name," I let out a small smile thinking about that joke he made about Brian and how realistic it was.

"What?" he asked

"You said, 'don't even start counting-Brian has five. Like idiot.'"

Alek flashes a grin and I already feel the air starting to lose that horribly uncomfortable feeling. "Even in your sub conscience I'm wickedly sharp," he comments.

I roll my eyes and suddenly I don't feel like finishing. It was scary in the dream, sure. But now? It just seems so silly, especially with Alek sitting in front of me, listening to every word.

"I feel better already," I tell him honestly. "Can we just forget about the rest?" I wait for him to protest, if for nothing else but pure curiosity. You know what they say...

But Alek surprises me. He smiles easily and tucks a piece of hair behind my ear. "Sure," he says, letting his hand drop. "You should probably be getting ready for school. It started 18 minutes ago."

_Wait..._ "WHAT?" I exclaim, jumping out of bed and running to where my cell phone was charging on the floor. Crap, he was right. "Why didn't you tell me?" I demand while pulling out a pair of jeans and a tshirt, and my left shoe. Wait, just left? Shouldn't there be a right one also?

"Excuse me for being preoccupied with something more important..." he mutters and jumps onto my window's perch. "I'll be waiting in my car outside," he gives me a wink and jumps out.

That Alek. Boy was he something else...


	10. Chapter 10

**Hint: I only start writing the next chapter when I get at least one review for the one before it. Keep that in mind ;) **

Alek POV

In the car Chloe got a text, and like usual I could see out of the corner of my eye that it was Brian. Her eyes scanned the screen and she giggled, then tried to hide it as she always does around me. I want to tell how not jealous I am and that she can flirt all she wants, I don't care...but she'd see right through it.

Besides, actions speak louder than words, right?

Mimi's hot. As backups go, she's one hell of a Plan B. It won't be hard to get over Chloe with-I mean...start liking...wait, what do I mean? I don't like Chloe. Liking Chloe is not only a major distraction, but she's clearly expressed that she doesn't like me back. At least not in the way she loves her human. I don't like her. I _can't_.

We make light conversation, but she's mostly focused on texting Brian. She writes something, deletes, sends, cancels, writes and rewrites until she's finally pleased. Does she give that much thought when she texts me? Probably not. It's usually things like, "where r we meeting 2day?" and "my mom can hear u. B quiet." Not exactly romantic, if you get my drift.

I watch her smile grow as she gets another message. I don't get it. Is Brian there for her in the morning when she's just had a nightmare? Does Brian save her life every time it gets put on the line? Where was Brian when she got shot? Oh yeah, busy almost dying himself. I protect her, twenty four seven. I watch out for her when no one else does. I'd give up my life for her. What would Brian do?

Bad Alek, I reprimand myself. Such thoughts aren't going to help you get over her. My mind doesn't know what to do with itself. Never have I had to convince myself not to like someone before-to be actually careful about it. I like her a girl and she considers herself lucky. I've had girls give up their Mai mates for me. What is the deal with Chloe?

When we get to school I walk her to her locker and wait for her to get the books she needs for homeroom. I drop her off by the door telling her that she's meeting for training tonight with Jasmine on the roof of the old library. She nods and I turn to leave, but before I do she calls my name.

"Alek?" her voice is hesitant.

I'm back in a second. "Yes?" I ask.

"...Thanks. For this morning. I really appreciate it." She gives me a sweet smile and then heads inside. I wonder to myself if she even knows what her gratitude does to people. How it makes them feel amazing about themselves, tingly all over...

Or is that just me?


	11. Chapter 11

**Amazing! I _love_ hearing what you guys have to say. Whether it's just telling me you liked the chapter or letting me know what you'd like to see next, any review is an awesome review. For iltnlock, this chapter's a bit longer just for you :) (and Lauren I didn't Italicize on purpose.. I wanted it to be a surprise xD)**

My neck's sore, my legs are bruised, and my arms won't lift higher than my shoulders. Jasmine pushed me to my limits tonight. As the Mai leader Jasmine is fierce. Dangerous. She sounds more and more like her mother every day. Don't get me wrong, I understand she has a lot of responsibility; it's just hard because I miss my Jazz. There's no more joking around, no more teasing Alek behind his back. (Not that we even have to try, he usually does that on his own. We just laugh on cue.) It's all about reaching my potential, being careful.

I slide into bed and close my eyes, wincing. _Kill me now_. I remember that I have Advil on the table next to my bed, but my eyelids are way too heavy for such difficult tasks. Instead I wave my arm around in what I think is probably the right direction until I hit something...soft? As I'm about to pull away it closes around my hand and my heart skips a beat. My eyes snap open, claws extended.

"Drugs, Chloe?" Alek teases, shaking the bottle.

"Alek!" I groan sinking back into my bed. "You scared me! NEVER do that again!"

"I don't think I've ever met a Mai more careless than you," he says in a quite matter of fact voice.

I respond with a glare.

"No, seriously," he continues, either not getting the hint or choosing to ignore it. "You're literally inviting an assassin into your bedroom, keeping your window open like that."

"Might be an improvement from what I'm currently getting..." I mutter.

He raises an eyebrow and places down the pill bottle. "I'm sorry," he says, sarcastically. "Is my protection bothering you?"

"Protection means sitting on my roof and watching out for Mai hunters. Where in your guardian hand book does it tell you to scare me out of my skin?"

Alek forgets for a moment that he's supposed to be sulking and grins. "That was a personal touch."

"I'm glad you're having fun, but if you don't mind I'd like to go crawl back into my bed and never move again for as long as I live."

He sits down on my blanket and gives me a smile that warns me he's about to make one of _those _jokes.

"Fine by me. For what I have planned you won't have to move at all. In fact, where do you keep your rope?"

I groan, rolling my eyes and fall back onto my pillow.

_Bzzzzt. Bzzzzt. Bzzzzzzzzzzt._

The vibration is deafening. We both look at my phone at the same time. Brian grins at us from behind the screen.

Alek looks at me pointedly. "Aren't you going to answer that?"

I'm not really sure how I want to respond. If I tell him that I'll call Brian back later, Alek will assume I'm hiding something. But if I pick up and Brian says something romantic, Alek will pick it up with his super Mai hearing and-...and what?

He said he didn't like me anymore. He said he wasn't jealous.

And if he lied..._Are you going to make him jealous on purpose? Chloe King, you wouldn't _dare_ use Brian like that. _It's not using, I protest against my conscience. I do like Brian. A lot. If Alek happens to overhear that and he happens to start liking me again, then it's simply fate.

_You realize what you just thought, right? You want him to like you. _

I ignore the thought and quickly answer before it goes to my voicemail.

"Hey Brian," I say with a smile.

"Hey! Chloe!" It's so cute how he gets super excited to talk to me. "I was just wondering if you wanted to come with me to visit my grandmother again tomorrow. She said she had some stuff to show me and asked specifically for you to tag along. You made quite the impression on her."

Alek's giving me a look that warns-don't you even think about it.

"Sounds great," I say cheerfully.

"Sweet. I'll pick you up like 10:30 ish."

"Perfect." We say our goodbyes and hang up. I place my phone down and stare expectedly at Alek, on account of him just standing there the whole conversation. "Do you have something to say?" I ask after a few seconds.

He thinks for a moment and then grins. "Nope. Just that I hope you have oodles of fun tomorrow."

Oodles?

He makes his way back to the window and I wonder what he came here to talk about in the first place. Just as he's about to pull my curtain aside, he turns around.

"Oh, Chloe?"

"Yeah?" I'm not sure what to expect. Say you don't want me to go, I think. Tell me it's a bad idea. Beg me to stay home, anything. Just show me you still care.

"I wanted to let you know that I have a date with Mimi tomorrow, so Jasmine's gonna send over a few guys."

I smile tightly. "That's awesome. Have oodles of fun right back atcha then," I forcibly punch him lightly on the shoulder.

Alek gives me a small smile and a funny look before he leaves.

I've never been jealous of Mimi before. In fact, last time I _encouraged_ him to make out with her, just so I could have some alone time with Brian. So what changed? Why this time did it feel like he just slapped me in the face?


	12. Chapter 12

**Question: Would you rather the chapters be shorter and more often or longer and more spread out? Let me know in your reviews! **

Alek POV

I close my eyes and pretend the lips against mine are Chloe's. Against the darkness of my eyelids I see her face, beautiful and flawless. Chloe puts her hands on the nape of my neck and I grab her by her hips, pulling her closer. The hair that tickles my arm isn't black in my mind, but blonde and wavy. When I break from the kiss I'm forced to open my eyes, and seeing Mimi standing there makes me feel sick. I went through the same thing last time I kissed Mimi on the rooftop across from the human's art show, but I felt less guilty that time. Back then I still had some feelings for her. Now though...

"Mmm..." she hums, smiling. "You just keep getting better. Not practicing on other girls, are you?"

I tuck her hair behind her ear, feeling nauseous on the inside but smirking on the outer. "You know we aren't exclusive," I say.

"And you know I wish that would change," she trails her finger from my lips to my chest. I feel like shuddering but that would _probably_ kill the romantic mood...

"We should go back," I whisper, worrying about Chloe. "The Uniter should be home by now."

"She can take care of herself," Mimi presses her forehead against mine and looks upwards into my eyes. It's a cute move and I can only imagine how adorable it would look on Chloe. How is it that I can't think of anyone else? Surely on her date with that human she isn't thinking of me. The thought depresses me and I crave instant pleasure. I force myself to push my mouth forward and it connects with Mimi's.

Chloe POV

I try to smile pleasantly at the elderly woman but there's no denying how uncomfortable she makes me feel. There's something about her eyes that completely sets me off. Even as she pays me a compliment, those eyes are insulting me. My instincts tell me to get out of there, to bolt for the nearest exit, but I push them away. Brian's grandmother, a threat? I'd have to be insane to believe that.

"Brian, can I talk to you in the kitchen for a moment?" She asks politely. Brian looks up at her and then at me, an apologizing look on his face.

"Sure," he gets up from the couch and walks with her to the ivory swinging door.

I look down at my hands and wring them nervously. I wasn't exactly loving it here when Brian was standing next to me, holding my hand, let alone sitting here deserted. Without him all my fears come bubbling to the surface. What if my feeling is right? What if there's actually something wrong with this place? Maybe not his grandmother, but if the Order knew I was coming here, they could have preset a trap...

I take out my cell phone, planning to text Alek, but I don't have any service. I walk back and forth, trying to get a connection, but the bar stays at zero. Weird.

Instead I decide to fill the time by looking around the room. There are only a few pictures and no one I recognize. After all, Brian had just found out his grandmother was alive only a month ago. There would be no baby pictures, no family reunions. I sit back down and without realizing I start to listen into their conversation.

"-don't know anything about her. About her background. I'm just telling you to be careful," his grandmother whispers. Wait, what?

"I actually know plenty about her background," Brian says, sounding quite proud of himself for knowing my secret.

"Like what?" His grandmother inquires, more than curiosity in her voice.

No. He wouldn't. He wouldn't spill everything about me to a woman he barely knew, one of which I had to admit, worried me. I panic, thinking of how I could end this conversation. On sudden impulse I stand up and quickly walk over to the door, fist ready to knock.

"It doesn't matter, Grandmother. All you have to know is that I trust her and that I love her," I freeze and slowly put my hand down. Of course Brian wouldn't tell. Why did I have so little faith in him? I stay by the door though, so I can hear more clearly.

"I'm just worried," she says softly. "I don't want you to get hurt. She doesn't seem very committed to your relationship." Relationship?

"That's because we aren't in one." He admits and I let out a small breathe of relief.

"Well what are you waiting for?"

"I...I kinda think she likes another guy."

I take a step back. Why would he think I like Alek? I hadn't even brought him up since the time Brian walked in on us kissing, and every time he saw us together since then Alek and I had been arguing. I sit back down, feeling clouded and confused.

It was time to figure out how I really felt.


	13. Chapter 13

The Order

As soon as they leave, the grandmother opens a closet and slides open a hidden door. The redhead steps out and dusts herself off.

"You didn't make the move," she comments, amused.

"It wasn't the time." the elderly lady mutters, heading back to the kitchen.

"I wonder if you're growing soft, now that you're so fond of the boy." As always, Simone, the woman with the hair of fire, was analyzing and commenting where it was not wanted.

"Don't be stupid," the grandmother snaps back. "The more fond I grow, the more I want that girl's head on a platter."

She busies herself with making a cup of tea, slamming any cabinet without a tea bag open and shut.

"Where is that damn tea bag?" she curses, with more than tea on her mind.

"He loves her," Simone hisses. She has lost her patience and will not play the polite game any longer. "We all know how you feel about true love. That's what stopped you, isn't it?"

Simone receives a glare of death. "That is not _true _love. That is infatuation, my dear. If any man dared to stay with you for more than a week, you might know that. And my son does not count."

For a moment Simone is taken off guard, and her cheeks threaten to match the color of her tightly pulled back bun. She clears her throat and puts her hand on her hip, eyes cast downwards.

"So you know about that," She responds cooly.

A threatening step is taken, tea long forgotten. "Simone, you think you are important. Everyone can see the haughty way you talk, like you are worth so much. But at the end of the night, what are you really? Nothing but a _whore._"

With that the elderly woman picks up her scalding cup and begins her way upstairs.

"Be sure to see yourself out."

Simone steps through the door and waits until she's outside of the mansion's gates before pulling out her cell phone.

"The old woman is growing useless. Take her out."

**Hold those rotten tomatoes! **

**I know you wanted Chloe to make up her mind and for some major Chalek to happen, but this is important too.**

**It's short because I wanted to hear what you guys think about just this, and if I put in Chalek your Alek loving minds wouldn't be able to concentrate ;)**

**Next chapter will be longer and involve our three most loved characters, no worries. Well two of them are loved anyway :P**


	14. Chapter 14

**Because you guys were such great sports with reviewing a chapter that had zero chalek, I now give you my longest chapter yet. **

**Prepare yourself, I'm bringing you one step closer to that happy ending...**

Chloe POV

"Do you want to go for a cup of coffee?" Brian asks me once we arrive back in our neighborhood.

I check the time. Only 5 o'clock and I'm beyond exhausted. Besides for all the energy it took to act like a dumb blond in front of Brian's grandmother, I didn't get much sleep last night due to a certain visitor. I have to admit I'm bothered by the fact that right now he's probably snogging Mimi. Thinking about it in detail makes me want to claw out the seat cushioning.

"I'm kinda tired, can you just drop me off at my house?" I ask, stifling a yawn.

Brian eyes flick between me and the road and he looks worried. "I'm so sorry, Chloe. I shouldn't have made you stay so long," he immediately starts apologizing.

"No, Brian, it's fine. Really. I just had a long night and my mom wants me home before dark." Technically the second one wasn't exactly true, she just wanted me home before 10-but at 10 it's dark, isn't it? _Justifying lies, are we?_ This inner voice of justice needs to GO AWAY.

"God, I'm so stupid," Brian continues like I didn't even say anything, and I can't tell if he's talking to me or himself. "I practically forced you to come and then totally abandoned you to talk to my grandmother. You must be so annoyed at me."

...Here's the thing. Brian's kind of insecure. He's always over thinking and second guessing, begging for my forgiveness or complimenting me to no end. It's definitely flattering to have that kind of attention from a cute college boy, but after a while it gets a little frustrating. I wish I didn't have to stroke his ego all the time.

On the other hand, Alek is the exact opposite. Whereas Brian would _never_ think to tease or insult me, Alek wouldn't bat a single pretty eyelash. Plus he's so absolutely full of himself that he'd still think he was perfect even if I didn't compliment him once. Oh, and when he does something sweet? It knocks the wind out of me. It's so rare for him to be sincere that each and every time he does it, it's incredibly special.

Brian's flattery is just...nothing new. I wish he would do it less so it would be more meaningful, but it's part of his personality.

_Um, Chloe? Space in. Brian's waiting for an answer._

I turn to him and put my hand on his arm. "I had a really nice time. Stop worrying so much."

He looks at me with a half smile. "Yeah?"

"Yes." I say, starting to convince myself at this point.

He signals to make a right and turns onto my block. "King residence it is then."

"Thanks," I think about giving him a small kiss on the cheek, but decide against it. If I'm not going to date him then I can't lead him on.

_Did you just decide you aren't going to date him?_ Why is my conscience so incredibly Team Alek? Is there another one that cheers for Brian? _Nope_, it answers smugly. _Just me. _

I close the car door and make my way to my house, turning around to wave at Brian as he drives away. After he's gone I pull open my bag and dig for the key.

Where's my key?

After about a minute of searching, I give up and call my mom. It goes straight to her voicemail and I remember her saying something about an important meeting, and how she wouldn't be able to answer until it was over. Alright, Mai powers-time to be good for something. I sneak around the back of my house and climb onto my roof. So this is how Alek feels, huh?

I carefully make my way over to my window and tug at it, expecting it to open. No luck. What the hell? I never lock my window. I scan the frame and see a small padlock at the bottom left corner. Alek. He must have installed it after I fell asleep last night. I jump to the ground and brush off my jeans.

I can't help but smile at the thought that I now get to interrupt Alek's date.

I think back to this morning when he told me he'd be in some Mai club on Main Avenue, in case of emergency. Well being locked out of my own house is definitely an emergency to me. Luckily Main Avenue is walking distance and there's still plenty of day light left. When I arrive, I walk up to the Usher and extend my claws, poking him gently in the chest.

He opens the red velvet rope and I slide in, scanning the room for Alek and Mimi.

It doesn't take me long. Most of the couples are out dancing on the floor, or drinking at the bar, but Alek is one of the few guys that's too preoccupied with pressing some girl up against a wall to notice anything. Walking closer I see it's definitely Mimi and I feel like I'm going to be sick. It didn't take him long to move on, did it? I guess he really was telling the truth about not liking me...I make my way over to the bartender and ask for a cold cup of water. After a few sips I feel a bit better, but not much. I need to get my key and leave as soon as possible.

I walk over to Alek and quietly clear my throat. He doesn't react. I do it again, louder. After a minute, I clear it a third and final time.

Alek breaks the kiss and starts to turn around. "Look, we're a little busy here..."

"I can see that." I say, pursing my lips.

His face goes blank. For the first time I have rendered Alek Petrov speechless.

"I need my key," I say impatiently, wanting to get out of this room and into fresh air.

"Why would I have your key?" he slowly slips back into himself, and leans against the wall. Mimi looks back and forth between us, as if she isn't sure how to react to Alek possibly having a key to my house.

"My window, Alek. You put a lock on it, remember?"

"How do you know it was me?" he asks smirking, and I want to punch him for making me feel stupid in front of Mimi.

"I don't have the patience for you right now. Can you please just give it to me?" Whether the bluntness is coming from jealousy or exhaustion, he deserves it either way.

"When I told you the Uniter had many responsibilities, I didn't think I'd have to list all the obvious ones also," he comments, clearly amused with himself.

I lose whatever remaining patience I posses.

"You know what? Forget it. I'm sure I can find someone more understanding than you in a dark alley somewhere who will offer me a place to stay." I'm acting like a complete child, but on two hours of sleep that's how I feel. Like everything is too loud and too wrong and I need to throw a tantrum for it to all go away. I turn on my heel and push my way through the crowd.

Just as I'm about to burst through the door I hear Mimi murmur, "isn't she charming."

As soon as the air smacks my face, tears spring to my eyes. Well that was pointless. I still can't get into my house and I now hate Alek for being such a Class A Jerk.

_Is that the only reason? You sure it had nothing to do with that little visual he provided for you? _Shut up. Shut up, shut up, shut **UP**!

I slink against the club's wall and melt to the floor, holding my head in my hands. It probably isn't the best place for the Uniter to have a breakdown, but it's not like I have anywhere else to go. My mom's at work, Amy and Paul went to the beach for the day, I won't call Jasmine because she has way too much to worry about as it is. and I told Brian I was going to sleep. How would I explain my trip to a night club that he's never heard of?

I have no where to go and no one to call. I've never felt so alone.

Alek POV

"isn't she charming."

I barely hear her as I start to chase after Chloe. Mimi grabs me by the wrist and spins me around to face her. "Don't go," she purrs. "The fun's just begun."

I try to gently pull my hand away, but the girl's got a grip of steel. "I have to Mimi. It's my job."

"You're lying. It isn't because it's your job at all," her voice turns angry and threatening. "It's because you care for her. That's why we can't be together, because all you can think about is _her_."

I don't know how to answer, so I give her the ultimate Alek response. I misdirect her attention for a moment and escape as quickly as I can.

**Review! :)**


	15. Chapter 15

**Kinda short, but full of Chalek. Enjoy! **

Alek POV

By the time I find Chloe, she isn't alone. Some Mai Guy keeps touching her arm, and although I'm too far away to hear them, I'm _pretty _sure he's flirting with her. He's obviously not more attractive than I am, but decent enough to get Mimi's attention every time he walked past us in the club...

Who am I kidding? He's a chick magnet, and by the look in Chloe's eyes, she's falling for it. Hard. Every nerve in my body aches to lunge at him. To punch him in the face, rip out his lungs. I force myself to breathe, almost forgetting how. If I act childishly, there's no way Chloe will believe I'm not jealous. Plus on a practical level, I can't go around beating up every guy that likes her. Let's face it, they're everywhere.

Alright. Mature, Alek. Cool, Calm and Collected.

I make my way towards Chloe and freeze. She has her hand on his arm muscle. "So strong..." She giggles in the girliest voice I've ever heard. Coolcalmandcollected Coolcalmandcollected Coolcalmandcollected...

I walk the rest of the way and dangle the window key in front of her face. "Please take them and go home," I try to say casually, but I end up begging.

"Yes!" she snatches it out of my hand and starts running in the direction of her house, Mai Guy long forgotten. Speaking of which, he's looking at me right now pretty confused.

"Completely loco," I tell him. "I'd stay far away." I pat his not _that_ strong arm and zoom off in Chloe's direction.

I have to run double as fast to make up for the time, and by the time I'm on her roof, I'm panting for air.

"What...the hell...was that?" I finally manage.

Sliding the key into the padlock she grins. "That was my way of not only getting what I wanted, but also proving how absolutely _jealous _you get. Point King! What's that, now? Two-zero?"

"I got a point!" I protest.

She rolls her eyes, slips into her room and immediately collapses onto her bed. Her eyes close happily and she smiles. "Yummmm." she purrs.

I smirk, amused, and settle on the edge of her bed.

About a minute later a thought occurs to me and I have to spit it out.

"Chloe?"

She opens one eye. "Yes, Alek?"

"So...you didn't really like Mai Guy?"

"Who?"

"You know," I don't think I've ever been so uncomfortable. "The guy you were flirting with."

She chuckles. "No, Alek. I don't like Mai Guy."

**Okay, we have a slight problem...and by we, I mean me. I can't keep writing all the time because I'm literally not getting any homework or sleep done-so I'm gonna wait until each chapter gets 10 reviews before posting another. That way I get feed back _and_ I'm still being productive! yay :) **


	16. Chapter 16

**hey guys! so i kind of thought the 10 reviews per chapter thing would slow you down a bit so i could have time to sleep and stuff, but nooo... you just have to be amazing and write me incredible reviews, dont you? :D**

**in case you haven't realized yet, chloe's "voice" is you. it's what i imagine you'd be saying to yourself as you read, because i know it's what id be yelling at the tv if it happened in the show. the point of it is so that i can then have chloe answer you within the story plot. let me know if you like it or if it should go away. **

**enjoy! **

Chloe POV

One line plays like a broken record in my mind the entire next day.

"_So...you didn't really like Mai Guy?"_

I hug my textbook tighter against my chest, and bite my lip, as another smile creeps onto my face. I had known exactly who he was talking about, but I wanted to hear him say it.

"_You know...the guy you were flirting with." _

There's no way he's completely over me-it wouldn't have bothered him if he was. _Why do you want to know so bad? Could it be you've finally fallen for him?_ It's just good to know where you stand, I snap back at my voice. I've got to find a way to quiet that thing down because I'm starting to feel a little insane, having conversations with myself. Plus I think I make some sort of face when I do it because suddenly now people are staring at me.

I give a weak smile and a nervous laugh, then run to my locker with my head down. I take out my coffee from this morning and drain the rest of it, wishing for more.

"There are several theories, you know."

Has anyone else around here noticed that Alek is quite literally everywhere, always talking? The guy can't just guard, he has to guard with an _opinion_.

"An- wasss that, my fella Brit?" I pop a pretzel into my mouth and chew with an eyebrow raised. The caffeine's hitting me hard. I feel like I could climb these walls, and my mind wanders, figuring out if I could actually pull it off.

"First off, that was easily the worst fake British accent I've ever heard in my life," I swallow and open my mouth, ready to protest when he adds- "Except for Paul's." I shut my mouth. That's fair.

"Secondly- they think you're either mentally insane, but they won't take you away because your grades are too high, or you're so crazy in love that your senses are all jacked up."

I cock my head to the side and look up at the ceiling, trying to look like I'm think about it.

He smiles, "so Chloe King, which one is it?"

I look down and blow at his face. "Neither Jocko, you made both of those up." I slam my locker and turn on my heel, skipping in the opposite direction. God, I just have so much **energy**!

He easily catches up to me and throws his arm around me, slowing me down. "Ah, but that's not true. The first one's actually real. And any reason you're being extra _giddy_?"

I stare pointedly at his arm while we walk. He notices and pulls it off. _No. Put it back. _

"I'm just happy for once. This is my happy face," I say, grinning madly.

"Looks more like your 'I had way too much caffeine this morning with no food attached' face to me."

I can't stand still. My leg starts tapping and I alternately snap my fingers.

"It'soweird," I start talking so quickly, I can barely catch my own words. "!" I shift from foot to foot and Alek's giving me a weird look.

"I think you should sit down..."

I look at him like he's the crazy one here. Sit _down_? I can't. I won't.

"You can't make me!" I turn around and start running away but halfway down the hallway it's gone. Every ounce of energy is sucked out of my body and my legs feel like lead. The stone cold floor looks so comfortable... I feel my eyes roll to the back of my head and everything goes dark.

Alek POV

I check Chloe's pulse again and listen to the endless ringing.

"Damn it, Jasmine! Pick up your phone!" Chloe's heartbeat gets slower and quieter each minute.

I give up on Jaz and speed dial a Healer.

"The Uniter's school-now!" It's only a blessing that everyone's in class. No witnesses. I support Chloe's back and scoop her up by her knees.

"Hang in there, kitten. Help is on its way."

**remember-10 reviews. start writing! **


	17. Chapter 17

Alek POV

"She'll be okay. Are you sure all she had was the coffee and pretzels?" I nod and she says, "the girl's lucky. If I had a stalker, I'd want him to look like you too."

I understand why she's flirting with me, but really? With Chloe sprawled out on the doctor's table like that, is now the time? Plus the lady is ancient. I feel a shudder begging to run through me as she gives a heavy wink.

I ignore the last ten seconds, keeping my face emotionless. "When will she wake up?"

"I gave her an injection to level out her blood sugar. It must have been an overdose of caffeine." The healer adjusts her glasses and stares down again at some kind of chart.

"But she has that same coffee every single day. Are you sure it's nothing else?"

"Oh yes, I'm positive-"

"_Im bringing sexy back...yeah! The other-" _my phone burst out singing. "Excuse me," I say, stepping out of the room.

"Jasmine! It's about bloody time, where are you?" I ask her, pacing down the hallway.

"I got...held up. It doesn't matter, where are _you_?" Jasmine snapped, as if I wasn't where I was supposed to be.

"I'm at the Healer's with Chloe. She's fine, it was just an-"

"Don't lie to me, Alek!"

"What the hell, Jasmine? I'm telling the truth. I called you and you didn't answer so I called the Heal-"

"The Healers are here. With me. At school. They said you called and when they showed up, no one was here."

The implications of what she's saying hit me and I drop my phone. "Chloe." I run back and pull on the door but it's locked. Well that's never stopped us before...I pull back my elbow and brace myself, bringing it forward to smash the glass window. I reach my arm through and unlock it. Chloe's face is an ashen gray and the healer, or whatever she is, stands there maliciously grinning at me.

"You're too late. In that coffee was a virus called Tysis. The Order's harvested it just for her. Not only was it in her drink this morning, but I injected more of it into her when you arrived. I'm telling you this because my mission is complete and it doesn't matter if you kill me now. I have wiped out a Uniter life," she says this last part eerily pleased and I force the information not to enter. Not now. All that matters is possibly saving Chloe.

I push the Healer to the wall and hold the needle up against her neck, steadily putting pressure on her windpipe with my other arm.

"Fix this." I say in a voice probably almost as lethal as whatever was in this thing.

"I can't. There's no cure." I put down the needle and press on her neck's pressure point until she passes out.

If Chloe really is dead, I can only wait for her to wake up. I can't call Jasmine because my phone is back in the hallway, and there's no way I'm leaving either of them for a second.

What is this new enemy and how are we supposed to fight it?


	18. Chapter 18

**ah, finally! i had what to post but until yesterday didn't have enough reviews. thank you to everyone for the reviews and subs-i tried to incorporate some of your ideas here :) remember to review! **

Alek POV

When Jaz and the _real_ healers arrive, I politely excuse myself so that I can thrash around in an empty room, screaming like a banshee. At least that was the plan, until halfway down the hall I spot my cellphone and scoop it up.

_1 New Message: Unknown Number_

I flip it open and type in my password to unlock the keys. The text says- _If you're with anyone, don't react. Claudia was mine, and I warn you, there are many more just like her. Willing to die to kill the Uniter. Perhaps we can strike a deal. _

Claudia. So that was the psychopaths name. I feel my blood boil as I delete the text. I'm not cooperating with a murderer who texts in fulls sentences.

_Bzzzzt. _

Another text. _You're being watched, Alek. I wouldn't do anything rash if I were you._

I slowly slide my phone into my pocket and walk back to Chloe's room. I fight the need to look around me, because if they're as good as they seem, I wouldn't be able to see anyone anyway. If Chloe's life really is on the line, I need to be around her, 24/7.

If she thought I was a stalker before, just wait until she gets a load of this...

Chloe POV

Jasmine explains what happened and I'm pissed off. Push me off a tower, fine. Shoot at me, okay. But poison my _coffee_? That's cheating! How am I supposed to fight off what I can't see? But I guess that's the point. Damn, they're getting smart. Three lives down, six to go.

"So now what?" I ask, feeling weird as I remember she's the Pride Leader.

"We step up the security a few notches. We have anything that enters your mouth checked first. We have-"

"So basically," I cut her off, "things are about to get a whole lot crazier?"

"Yes."

I sigh, missing her even more. Where was her sense of humor, her sympathetic smile?

"And just when things started to get normal," I mutter under my breath, wondering where the hell Alek disappeared to.

Right on cue, he slips through the door and gives me a comforting look, though something seems off. His hand keeps jerking to his pocket, but at the last second he stops himself. I raise my eyebrow, and start to open my mouth but he gives me a short barely noticeable shake of the head, telling me _Not now._ I shut my mouth and cock my head slightly to the side. _Later_ he mouths. I hate waiting but it doesn't seem like I have a choice.

Jasmine looks up from whatever she was doing.

"Ready to go?" she asks us, brisk and efficient.

"YES." I practically shout.

I jump off the table and grab Alek's hand, pulling him towards the door. I wanted to get out as quickly as possible so he could tell me what was going on. I guess it might have seemed like something else was going on though, because Jasmine gave us a skeptical look.

"Alek? You told her?"

I stop tugging and turn around. "Told me what?"

Alek gives Jasmine a sharp glare and turns to me. "Nothing." he says tightly.

"But she's-" Jasmine starts to say, but Alek interrupts.

"Jazz. I love you, but you have to _shut up._"

I squeeze his hand, reminding him that she's the leader now and he can't talk to her that way anymore. I wait for Jasmine to reprimand him, like her mother would have, but instead she gives us a soft smile. She looks like herself now more than ever.

"My bad," she says softly. Then she's gone, back to Leader Mode.

"We're out," she tells the healer team, and we all finally leave.

A few minutes later we get to the car and I realize I'm still holding hands with Alek. "Oh. Sorry," I mutter, embarrassed, and drop his hand.

He gives me his signature smile. "Don't be." He kisses my check lightly and opens the door. "Ladies first."

I climb in, cheeks slightly burning. Once inside I let out a slow and uneven breathe. It was gonna be a long ride home.


	19. Chapter 19

**you guys have been amazing with the reviews and subs, and therefore... ladies and gentlemen, i now present to you the moment you have been waiting for...**

Chloe POV

It takes four minutes of pure silence for me to realize that Alek thinks he's getting away with what happened back in the doctor's office.

I clear my throat and it reminds me of the last time I did it. The club. Alek. Mimi. Kissing. The memory brings up a whole new question in my mind.

"That night at the club..." I begin, not sure how to finish the question.

He swallows and doesn't answer.

"What happened to Mimi?"

He looks at me for a second, then back at the road. "She went home I suppose."

"You _suppose_?"

"I didn't stick around to find out, if that's your question."

Hmm.

"Why not?"

"Is this a question game? Because if it is, I think it's only fair if I get a turn also."

The question game was something Amy, Paul and I played all the time when we were younger. I wonder how he knows about it.

"Fair enough," I say slowly, wondering what kind of mess I just walked into.

"Have you kissed Brian since he...came back?" Alek says, eyes emotionless. It must be so hard for him to ask. I look at him for a moment and memorize what he looks like now. This is the face of Alek with his guard up, I tell myself. I forget that I haven't answered him and he looks at me heartbroken for a split second, and then the second's gone. "I guess I should have assumed as much," he says coldly.

Wait, what?

"_Excuse me?_" I say out loud.

"We all see how you helplessly throw yourself at him, Chloe. It's no surprise that the moment you find out the curse doesn't apply, you'd be all over him." He pulls into my driveway and now turns to fully look at me.

I'm too angry to respond rationally.

"_Really_, Alek? You want to go there? Fine, how about we discuss your little kissing toy too then?"

"I don't have one," he says, eyes narrowing. "That's you, remember?"

"Mimi, Alek. MIMI." I throw the name at his face. "You obviously don't care about her, or you wouldn't have left her at that club to chase after me." I can't believe the words are coming out of my mouth.

"At least mine's Mai," he counters.

"That makes it better?" I exclaim, astounded at his stupidity. "Alek, you're a jerk, you know that?" I snap open my seat belt and get out of the car, slamming the door behind me. I walk furiously to my house door and bless Bastet that I have my key with me this time.

Alek POV

Is it wrong that even as she leaves storming mad, and I'm raving jealous, all I can think is- "God Almighty, she's beautiful..."

I watch her hair fly after her, her delicate shoulders hunch in fury. I watch each porcelain finger curl into a fist, her long shapely legs storm up the path. I want to run after her. I want to hold her in my arms and kiss her until she forgets what Brian's lips taste like. If she would let me, I'd treat her right. I'd never look at Mimi again for as long as I live. In fact all she had to do was give the word and I'd never even think of another girl. I wouldn't lie to her like I've lied to the others. A girl like Chloe deserves only the best. I can't deny how I feel about her, not anymore. Not after I ran out on Mimi, a girl some guys would die for. Not after she died again and I felt like I couldn't breath. Like if she didn't open those eyes, I'd make sure mine never did either.

_Bzzzzzt_

The texts. I'd completely forgotten about them. I take out my phone, panic spreading through my body.

_You would think the Guardian would keep the Uniter close, wouldn't you? I wonder what will happen to her now that she's alone..._

I jam it back into my pocket and run out of my car. Scrambling onto her roof, I look into her window. Chloe's sitting on her bed, listening to her Ipod. Safe. Alive. Breathing. Pissed off breathing, maybe, but still breathing nonetheless.

I can't let stupid fights get in the way of my protecting her. Not again. I'd barely forgiven myself for the last time.

I unlock the padlock I installed and ease her window open. She glares at me and pulls out a headphone.

"I don't want to talk to you," she says abruptly, stabbing at my heart.

"I'm sorry." I say quietly. It feels weird. I haven't said that in a while. "I didn't mean what I said, I was just...jealous." I finally admit out loud. There goes my reputation.

Her eyes soften. "I haven't kissed him again," she says, head down, voice so quiet I almost don't hear her.

"Brian?" I ask, clarifying.

She nods and a huge grin breaks out on my face, until I realize something.

"...Why did you let me think you did?"

Chloe looks up at me, eyes wide and guilty. "I was mad," she says finally. "I was mad about you and Mimi kissing, I was mad about Brian just assuming we were gonna be together, mad at Jazz for acting all different, at myself for getting killed, at-"

I take a step forward and kiss her lips, cutting her off. My hands hold her hips and pull her close. It's even better than last time. When I pull away a few seconds later she's a little stunned.

"Well that was kind of rude," she says sarcastically, giving me a wry smile.

"Sorry," I say for the second time tonight, although this time I can't say I mean it.

She puts her hands in back pockets and bites her lip, staring at the floor. I know she's thinking the same thing that I am.

_What now?_

**_remember to review! and tell me your ideas, i love hearing them :)_**


	20. Chapter 20

**hey guys...i was gonna end the story with this chapter but i didn't think it was fair because i didn't warn you, so let me know what you want to see before it all ends. enjoy!**

Chloe POV

My lips are still tingling. God, he really is a _great_ kisser. Does this make us a couple? This is the third time we've kissed, it's got to mean something. I know I definitely like him, but there are a bunch of things I don't know. Like, what's the deal with Mimi and the thousand other girls that are always around him? I never pictured myself with the player type. Then again before my sixteenth birthday I didn't really picture myself with any type. Boring old Chloe, that was me. Always thinking twice before making any choices, playing it safe with Amy and Paul. Well this is my new life. My brand new, totally exciting life. It's time for something brash and unplanned.

I get ready to look up and meet his eyes when I suddenly realize he isn't there.

"Alek?"

"Behind you, love." I swivel around to see Alek sprawled out on my bed, diary in hand.

"Alek!" I scold him, snatching the little red book from his hands.

"What?" he asks innocently. Please, like that kid is anything but guilty. "I didn't get to finish last time."

I have a flashback of the memory he's talking about and give him a twisted smile. "No roses, no diary."

He jumps up off of my bed and comes over to me, extending a finger to lift up my chin. He then leans in like he's about to kiss me but instead whispers against my lips, "be right back."

I close my eyes, feeling shivers down my spine. Was there a single guy in this world more smooth than him? When I eyes open, he's gone, just like I expected him to be. The question is though, is he really going to get flowers?

Alek POV

I can't stop smiling. She's just so freaking bloody brilliant, it isn't fair. Accelerating into Mai speed I get to the flower shop in less than a minute. No more stealing. We're serious now. Aren't we? I know we're never going to be the mushy dependent type of couple, but we are some type of couple now, right? So many questions and it seems the only person I get answers from is Paul. I don't want to push her or have _the talk_. I'm scared all I get is her classic answer of, "this is all so fast" and I don't know if I can handle that again. I barely lived through it the last time and my locker was broken for a week. I walk out of the store, dozen roses in hand, about ten minutes later.

_Bzzzzzzt._

Please be Chloe, I mentally plead. Chloe, Jazz, I'll even gladly take Paul. Just not-

_1 New Message: Unknown Number _

Kill me.

I click on the text and feel the blood drain from my face.

_Tsk tsk, didn't I warn you not to leave her alone? Better return the roses and get your money back. Where Chloe's going, she won't need them._

__**remember- 10 reviews. andddd GO! :)**


	21. Chapter 21

**Wow. You guys are amazing. For giving me the most reviews last chapter i've ever gotten, heres another chapter, not even 24 hours later :) I'd like to especially thank Evalina who's reviews were sooo sweet. The more you review, the more I want to write!**

Alek POV

I burst through her window, huffing and puffing. She sits there on her bed, same as last time, but without the earbuds. Her perfect blue alive eyes widen.

"Alek?" She says slowly. Her eyes dart between my face and my hand and I realize that I crushed the roses in my mad rush over here. "Care to share what turned you into a psychopath?"

I lean against the wall and sink slowly to the floor, eyes closed, trying to breath normally. A few seconds later I hear Chloe's light footsteps against the carpet, and feel her hand on my knee. My eyes open to see her face a few inches away from mine, eyebrows knitted in concern.

"What's going on Alek? You've been acting weird ever since I woke up."

I put my hand gently on her cheek, mentally shuddering at the thought that she has one less life than a few days ago. What kind of a protector am I? Sure, I wasn't around for the first death, but what of the second and third? One life lost because I gave into stupid emotions and the other I have no excuse. I was standing _right there_. I should have known about the virus, somehow. And now, the moment I leave her side, I'm taunted and teased when her life isn't even in danger. I'm letting this tormentor jerk me around like some kind of puppet.

Her eyes soften, as they've been doing so often. "Is that what this is about? You feel guilty about me dying?"

Now's the time, Alek. Decide. Is it worth it to tell her the whole truth? She isn't in any danger. These texts are all one big prank.

"Yeah," I say quietly. Convincingly. "That's it."

She holds the hand that's on her cheek and pulls it to her chest. "That wasn't your fault. If anything, it was mine for not noticing anything."

I feel her heartbeat vibrating through her shirt, pounding in my ears. All I want is to protect that heart.

"It's hard for me," I admit. "I'm not used to being this...incapable." It isn't the right word for it, but I can't think of a better one at the moment.

"Vulnerable?" she asks softly and I nod. That's it. "It's like when that Jackall was beating you up-"

"I was returning the punches. With my mind." I can't stop myself from interrupting to save face.

She gives me that adorable replication of my smirk. "Like I was saying." The smile fades. "I felt really vulnerable seeing you get hurt like that and feeling like I couldn't do anything to save you."

Is it possible for me to grow even more fond of this girl? A few moments ago I didn't think so, yet here we are.

"Ready for a confession?" I whisper.

"Always." she whispers back.

I have to pull myself out of those eyes to be able to answer. "I want to kiss you right now."

She bites her lip, fighting a smile. "And what's stopping you?"

"Wouldn't want you to OD. My kisses have disastrously affects on some girls."

"I think we've established I'm different." she says, still whispering.

"Hey Chloe?"

"Yes, Alek?"

"Why are we still whispering?"

Chloe giggles and I dig my fingers into her carpet to hold myself back from grabbing her by the shoulders and pulling her closer until there's no distance between us. She then clears her throat and stands up. "You should go before my mom comes," she says, walking over to her laptop.

Wait. Wasn't I just about to get kissed?

"I think you're forgetting something." I say, getting up and leaning against her wall, eyebrow raised.

She cocks her head to the side. "Nope. Can't think of a thing."

"Maybe I can remind you," I say, walking forward and leaning in for another kiss when-

_Bzzzzt_

I grimace and take out my cell phone.

_I think it's time you go out on the roof. I have some visitors waiting._

It's a lie, Alek. I'm desperately trying to convince myself out of this, but my instincts force me to edge towards her window.

"Alek?"

I turn to look at her and think quickly. "I'm a tease, King. You can't catch me that easily." I give a wink and climb out onto the roof, closing the window behind me. The air out here is cold and quiet, with not a single attacker in sight. It clicks. I am the mouse in this equation, and they're going to keep toying with me until I go insane.

Chloe POV

I groan and fall backwards onto my bed. What was with him? Ever since the virus, it was always with that cell phone. The second he got the text it was is if I wasn't even there anymore. He just couldn't wait to leave. Is it Mimi? Another girl? Can't be. Alek's the player type, but not the cheating type. Especially only one day into...whatever this is. I can't think anymore, my brain hurts. I turn onto my stomach and grab my pillow, burying my head under it. Tomorrow I'm going to get that phone somehow, and find out what's going on once and for all.

**Now go write those 10 reviews, but how about this time you let me get a little hw done first? ;)**


	22. Chapter 22

******ahhh ive been waiting to post this chapter for a while.. just review guys. i have them waiting for you, all you have to do is give me some feedback. enjoy :)**

Chloe POV

It's the day after the text incident and I'm late to work. Again. Just as I'm about to go barreling down the block, something catches my eye. Or rather,_ someone_. Brian. He's sitting at an outdoor table, sipping his coffee. A girl with long wavy brown hair sits across from him but I can't see her face. Brian puts down his cup and laughs at something she's saying. I freeze and hide behind a wall, listening into their conversation.

"-hilarious," Brian is saying.

I hear the girl giggle and something inside me twitches. "I'm so glad we could do this. It's been a while," she says.

"Yeah, definitely too long." I peek my head out to see him reaching out to hold her hand that's resting on the table. He's _blushing_. Are you kidding me with this? We don't talk for a few days and he's already over me? From the corner of my mind I hear- _You're dating Alek, you bimbo. _To which I maturely respond- shut up, inner voice. No one asked you.

"To be honest," the Brian-stealer continues, "I kinda thought you had a girlfriend. You know, that girl from last time."

I realize that she's the same girl Brian introduced as his "friend" one of the times things got awkward between us. For the life of me I can't remember her name. For now we'll call her Giggles.

Brian flinches and looks down, swirling his coffee cup between his fingers. "Nah, she's dating someone else."

Wait, he knows about Alek and me? How could he? I hadn't even told Amy yet.

Giggles tucks a strand of hair behind her ear and looks down at her hand that's still being held by Brian's. I have to strain to hear what she says next because it's a whisper in this crazy loud street.

"She's missing out."

Ouch.

I'm about to give Giggles a piece of my mind when my phone buzzes.

_Do u no how late u r? -Lana_

It's my fault, really. Never give your boss your cell phone number. They _will_ use it against you. I give Brian one last look then turn on my heel and briskly stride my way through the door, apology already on my lips.

She crosses her arms and scowls at me.

"Funny how you came as soon as I sent that message."

I give her a nervous laugh and make my way behind the counter. "Coincidences are crazy sometimes, huh?"

"Chloe, I need you to start taking this job seriously. I appreciate what you did for me, but that doesn't excuse you from-"

"I know, I know." I cut her off, so not in the mood for another lecture. Especially not now with Brian's face taking over my mind. "I'm really sorry." I say, meeting her eyes and trying to look sincere.

Lana rolls her eyes and flips a magazine page. "That's what you always say."

I'm not sure how to answer, so I don't. Instead I pull out my price tag gun and walk through the shop, spying out new merchandise to mark. I'm only about ten seconds in when I hear a high pitched shriek and freeze.

Alek POV

I watch Chloe watch Brian watch what's-her-face. From a distance of course, she doesn't have a clue that I'm here. To be honest, it kills me to watch her face transform into that look of jealousy over Brian. She's never looked that way at me. Not when I took Mimi out for the first time, or when Chloe would come over to talk to me and I had ten girls surrounding me on all sides. She was always so composed, constantly sweet and polite. Not now though. Now she looks like she's about to pounce. I want to walk over to her and grab her hand. Pull her away from him...but I'm trying to respect her space. If we really are a couple now, I can't keep being so insecure about her liking me. Even if she did tell her mother that she loved Brian and she's never said it to me once...

Okay, maybe I can be a little insecure.

_Bzzzzzzt._

1 New Message: Unknown Number

_Good job, Alek. Keep your eyes on the Prize. _

"Will do," I mutter under my breath, assuming wherever they are, they can hear me. After a few minutes Chloe takes a deep breathe and finally turns around to walk into her shop. I stay a little while, watching the surroundings and Brian. Okay, fine. _Mostly_ Brian. So he got himself a new girl did he? Good. Now he can get over mine. I follow Chloe in a few minutes later and its a few minutes too late. As I enter through the swinging doors, I hear a high pitched screech. All I can think is _Chloe._

**yes, its a cliffhanger. how else am i supposed to get you to review? :P**_  
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	23. Chapter 23

**you guys are excellent. thank you so much for all the reviews and subs! get ready, it's about to get complicated.. **

Alek POV

I walk in and quickly survey the scene. Clothes knocked down, cash register busted up, Chloe holding some guy in a headlock, Lana on the floor- wait. What?

I dash over to Chloe.

"I'll ask you one more time," she says, teeth gritted, grip tightening. "_Who are you?_"

The man gasps for air and lifts a hand to his neck. He pulls some kind of vial off and bites off the cork. We both realize what he's doing only after it's too late. Chloe takes a step back and the dead man slumps to the floor.

"...God." she says, burying her head in her hands. "I'm a murderer."

I step over the body and pull her into a hug.

"He killed himself, Chloe."

"But only because I forced him to," she says, voice muffled against my shirt.

I'll be honest with you. I'm not a man of many words and my comforting skills are close to none. I gently rub her back, remembering how Valentina used to do that for Jasmine when she was upset, but that's the extent of it. After a few minutes Chloe takes a shuddering breathe and a step back, out of my arms. She walks shakily over to the body and kneels down next to it. She then reaches out her hand and strokes the man's cheek. A single tear falls out of her eye and I can't hold the question back any longer.

"Chloe, I don't know if you realize, but it kind of looked like he was trying to kill you."

"He was." She states, sniffling.

I bend down beside her and run my fingers through my hair. "Then why are you- er... why are you-"

"Crying?" she finishes for me, sensing how uncomfortable I am with the word. I briefly nod, waiting for the answer. "I'm crying because a life was just lost, Alek. Lives are incredibly precious. This man is irreplaceable. I just wish he had known that before he stole himself away."

She's intense, this girl. Her compassion is limitless. How is it that she can look at this man and see something of value, when all I see is a pathetic creep? I suppose that's why she's the Uniter here.

_Bzzzzzt_

Dear Bastet, no. Not now. I leave the phone in my pocket, desperate to not look at it while she's here. Chloe's head snaps up at the vibrating sound and her eyes narrow. Wait, weren't we just having a moment? Why is she _angry_?

Chloe POV

The sound of that stupid cell phone snaps me back to reality. I never did have the chance to swipe it so I still have no idea who it is. Alek's face is growing whiter by the second, and my mind begins to imagine all the things he might have done. I can't shake the fact that the most likely is cheating. It just doesn't make sense though. Still...it's hard to think logically or judge favorably when the guy acts so incredibly _guilty_.

"Aren't you going to check that?" I ask mildly, but I suspect that poison is managing to sneak its way into my words.

He clears his throat and blinks. "Uh, no. That's rude."

"Rude?" I question, never knowing Alek to be anything but.

"Yeah. You're obviously having a hard time right now, so it's important that you have my full attention." He looks at me with a small smile, and I can tell he's proud of himself for thinking so fast on his feet.

"What if it's Jasmine? It could be important. I wouldn't want my emotions to cause some sort of a disaster." I say forcefully.

Alek looks down and licks his lips. Finally he sighs. "Alright then," he says, pulling out his phone. "If it's okay with you its okay with-" His faces pales even more than before as the seconds tick by. After a little while he stands up, eyes scanning the room. I push off my legs to stand next to him.

"What's the matter Alek? Is there some kind of danger?" He isn't listening to me. He pockets his phone and walks over to the door.

"I'll see you later, Chloe." he says, not even looking at me.

"Yeah. See you later," I say softly, feeling rejected and ignored. Once he leaves I sigh heavily looking at the mess around me. Lana's passed out on the floor and that's only the beginning of it. I walk over to the phone and dial 911, the story already waiting on my lips.

Alek POV

I call Jasmine and tell her I need several guards watching Chloe _now_. I then make my way over 7th avenue, looking around for what I'm supposedly waiting for.

After a couple of minutes I take out my phone to reread the text and make sure I understood correctly.

_His name was Bradley. He had a wife and three children; one teenage boy and two girls under the age of nine. Do you understand? We've hypnotized him to the point where he was willing to die to kill her. And there are more. So many more. How are you planning to fight an enemy that wants to die? Give me your leader and this will end. Get into the taxi on 7th and 28th in seven minutes. Number 666. I'll be waiting._

God, Alek. What are you getting yourself into?

**review!**


	24. Chapter 24

**unfortunately i didn't get ten reviews for last chapter so technically i'm not supposed to be posting another one, but someone brought up Brian's grandmother and i haddd to write about her. this is really short but important. pleasseee review so i can get back to alek and chloe! it's time she found out about the texts!**

She walks. She hears. She pauses.

"Hello?" She calls, her voice dancing off the marble floors. When she hears no response she immediately draws the gun from the trick shelf in her drawer, and slides it into her boot. It's a sensible, black, old lady kind of boot, the type of shoe that no one would suspect to hold a weapon. With that the woman walks down the stairs, hand just barely grazing the banister.

After a few minutes she hears it again while making some tea, and knows this time that it's far too late.

"Don't move," a voice pretending to be chilling whispers from behind her. "Slowly turn around."

The grandmother rests the metal spoon back into her mug with a soft clink. "Which one?" she asks, amused.

"You're about to die. Do you really want your last words to be snarky and sarcastic?"

"Only way I'd go," she murmurs with a small smile, and begins to follow directions. As the old lady turns around she sees with little surprise that Simone is aiming a gun to her heart.

"No man willing to do your dirty work?" the woman muses, testing the water to see how far she can go.

Simone tightens her grip on the gun and purses her lips. "I don't need a man. I'm stronger than all of them."

The woman chuckles and dares to take a step forward. "Then why sleep with them, Simone? If you're so full of worth and value, why act like such a whore-"

_Boom!_

The old woman gasps and her eyes roll to the back of her head. She slowly sinks down to the floor and collapses. Simone blows the imaginary steam off her gun and coldly walks away, heels clicking on the floor.

Once outside she whips out her phone and hits number two speed dial.

"I'm sorry to be the one to tell you, but it appears as if your mother had a heart attack. I had the body taken care of, there's no need for you to see her." She expects sobs but all she receives is silence. After a while Mr. Rezza clears his throat and tells her to have the body prepared for a funeral. She's pleased to hear that he doesn't want to come over, it would be a bit difficult to hide the bullet wound.

If only the crazy old lady would have listened.

If only she would have stopped poking and prodding, teasing and taunting.

Didn't the hag know?

No one calls Simone a whore and gets away with it.

**review.**

**now.**

**...**

**please? :)**


	25. Chapter 25

******hey guys! sorry its been so long.. i had strep and then it was my birthday and thanksgiving and im the lead in the play and ahhh. so much is happening. thanks for being patient and reviewing while i was gone! to show my appreciation, im gonna tell u who's sending the texts :)**

Alek POV

I wait twenty minutes before turning around and going back. I can't believe it, they stood me up! What the hell is with these people- are they serious about killing Chloe or not? I check my phone a good thirty times in the next hour, paranoid to death. Even on the highest ringtone I'm constantly convincing myself that maybe I didn't hear it. I wait out the night on Chloe's roof, unable to sleep. All I can think is, _what if they strike again and I'm not there?_ The thought kills me. When the sun finally drags itself up, I slide open Chloe's window and jump in. She's still sleeping, though something's wrong. She looks...agitated. Nightmare? I decide to sit beside her bed just in case it's as bad as last time, but I'm worried and clumsy and on my way over I trip on her laptop charger chord and land onto her carpet with a silent _oof._

Not a second later Chloe's foot is on top of my spine pushing me deeper into the ground. I'm impressed. The girl is definitely fast.

"You win, King. No need to steal my dignity."

She removes her foot and allows me to stand up. When I finally do I'm surprised to see her face twisted in anger.

"Hey, I just got here. I wasn't watching you all night or anything," I say, backing up slowly and raising my hands in mock surrender.

She crosses her arms and purses her lips. My palms start getting sweaty and my heart beat accelerates. Damn this girl. Does she know what those looks do to me?

"That isn't what I'm upset about, Alek." she says, enunciating ever so clearly.

Okay, now she's lost me. What did I do this time? I think back to last night and all that comes up is how I risked my life to save her. There's no way she found out about that, though...right?

"Stop playing games, Chloe." I say, holding a poker face but inside I'm scared to death. I can't bear the fact that she might be mad at me. That she might hate me. Or worse. That she might stop talking to me.

Her eyes flicker back and forth as she tries to read me and finally she sighs and drops her arms. "The phone, Alek. The constant texts that you try so hard to hide. Just tell me who they're from."

Now my heart is racing for a completely different reason. She's onto me. Lie, Alek! Come on!

"It's no one," I say quickly and mentally punch myself in the face. That's the worst lie in the book. How could I succumb to no one?

Chloe clenches her teeth and turns on her heel, making her way to the window. She tugs up the pane and then turns back to face me.

"If you aren't going to tell me the truth, you might as well not talk to me at all."

My heart sinks. Why can't she understand that I'm only protecting her? Why can't she trust me? I try to make my way over to her and the exit, but I can't. Once I leave this room without an explanation she might never forgive me, and then what good will I be? How will I protect her if she's constantly trying to dodge me? I run my fingers through my hair and take out my phone.

"They're threats, Chloe." I say, taking a step towards her. "Threats on your life."

Her fury melts away and a look of concern settles instead. She meets me and takes my phone from my hand, clicking her way through the texts. When she looks up I expect to hear an apology for doubting me, but instead all I see is that anger again. She shoves the phone into my chest.

"You liar!" She yells. "Why couldn't you just tell me there was someone else?" Her voice keeps jumping higher and tears spring to her eyes.

I don't understand, what is she saying? Why is she _crying_?

"I'm telling you the truth, Chloe..." I say, honestly confused.

"There are no threats on that phone, Alek." she whispers, words like daggers. "But tell _Alice _I wish you all the best."

"Alice?" I'm hopelessly lost. I've never even met an Alice!

Chloe spins me around and literally pushes me out the window with a force I've never felt from her before. Once outside on the roof I check my phone, scrolling through the texts. _What the hell..._

Alice: Meet me 5

Alice: Luv u too babe!

Alice: She dusnt no, rite?

Alice: Miss you... 3

Alice: 2nite was the best but ur the best of all ;)

I turn around and begin to desperately bang on Chloe's window, screaming her name until my throat is sore. It doesn't matter though, everything I say must sound like a lie at this point. How in Bastet's name did they get my phone, delete all those texts and send these bogus ones without me knowing? And what good would it even do them, getting Chloe mad at me? They think I'm going to protect her any less this way? They're dead wrong. If anything I'm never going to leave her side for a second now, whether she wants me to or not.

I sink down and bury my head in my hands. I'm going to fix this. I'm going to get her to believe me...somehow.

Brian's Grandmother

The old woman waits for Simone to leave and then calmly sits up and removes her bullet proof vest. She lightly touches her torso and is pleased to find there is no damage. After putting the mansion into complete lockdown, she makes her way over to the computer and sends the virus to Alek's phone. After the text message exchange is complete, she smiles to herself and calls for backup. She realizes that Simone is a force to be reckoned with, whether she likes it or not. She is never going to make the same mistake again.

**remember to review so i can write more! its killing me leaving chalek this way :/**


	26. Chapter 26

**nice! 10 reviews :) this time though, i challenge you guys. **_to do what?_ **so glad you asked! i challenge you to write a REAL review. one that actually shows you read the chapter. and because i believe you're gonna do it, i give you my second to longest chapter :) happy reading! **

Chloe POV

"Any reason you're avoiding him?" Jazz asks, breathing hard as she leaps over the rooftop to keep up with me.

"I'm not avoiding him," I spit back, bending my knees to get more airtime. "I just needed an Alek break."

We reach our destination and I crouch over, gasping for breath. It's been a while since we've done this and I'm sad to report that I'm a little out of shape. Besides, fury and jealousy will only fuel a girl for so long. My mind is buzzing with theories, and I can't seem to keep focused. It's so strange. I knew Alek liked to act like the player type, but I wouldn't have guessed he'd actually ever cheat on a girl. I guess I was stupid and naïve, but I actually believed he'd never think to cheat on _me_. Even though we never had an official title, I was something to him and he knew that he meant plenty to me. Those kisses on my rooftop, my front porch, that last one in my room...did they mean nothing to him that he would throw it all away for someone else?

Alice. The name tastes like acid in my thoughts. I start to wonder what she looks like. Is she prettier than me? I know that's extremely superficial, but I can't help but feel my heart twist at the thought that I probably look like a troll compared to her. After all Alek wouldn't-

"Chloe!" Jazz grabs onto my shoulder and yanks me back into reality. "I've been calling your name for the past minute, where _are_ you?" I blink a few times and try to clear my mind, but everything just feels so wrong. I can't focus my supernatural hearing without Alek. Without his heartbeat everything is too loud and completely overwhelming. I rub my eyes hard and pull my hair back into a ponytail.

"I'm right here, Jazz." I say, then catch myself. She's the Mai leader. I can't call her that anymore. "I mean, Jasmine." I say, a few seconds too late. She has a sad expression on and after a few moments of silence she begins to rock on her heels.

"Can I tell you something?" She whispers finally, and I lean in to hear her better.

"Of course," I answer automatically, concern lacing my voice. A leader secret was something you took to the grave. Even I knew that.

Jazz tucks her dark hair behind her ears and meets my eyes. "I'm scared," she finally says quietly. "I wasn't ready for this, Chloe. I wasn't ready to be the leader. My mom talked about it, sure, but she never...never really prepared me. No one expected for her to go so soon," she murmurs, tears rimming her eyes and flying down her cheeks. "I'm only 17, how in the world do they expect me to know what I'm doing? I can't do this, Chloe. I can't play pretend for the rest of my life."

My heart feels like lead as I pull her into a hug. It's a bittersweet moment for me right now. I feel horrible for Jazz that she has to be so strong when she feels so weak, but at the same time a part of me is rejoicing over the friend I thought I lost. She's admitted to being human, which is more than her mother would ever have done. After a little while I pull back and hold her by her shoulders. She gives me a small embarrassed smile and I wipe a few tears away with my thumb.

"Jazz, you don't have to. If you feel like this is too much for you, the Mai will understand. Hell, they're probably blown out of the water that you've been the leader for this long. No one expects you to do this. I know you want to for your mother, but if Valentina was here right now, she'd call you crazy and tell you to assign it to someone else for now. You can always take over later when you get older, Jazz. Remember that."

She nods silently and I think she's really taking what I say to heart. After a minute of awkward sniffling and tear wiping she looks at me worried. "I told you my secret, now spill. What happened between you and Alek?"

I sigh heavily and sit down on a rusty crate that's resting against the wall.

"He cheated on me, Jazz." I say quietly, knowing full well that she can hear me. My eyes are glued to the floor, waiting for a response. When I don't get one, I look up to see that she's staring at me with disbelief.

"No," she says, shaking her head.

"What do you mean, 'no'?" I ask, incredulously. "I'm telling you he did."

"Did you see him?" She asks, voice filled with doubt.

"Not exactly." She looks confused. "I saw the texts," I add.

"It wasn't him, Chloe." she says confidently, and begins to stride off in the other direction. I stand up quickly and jog up to meet her. She's got a leg swung over the edge and she's climbing down to the ground.

"You can't know that," I accuse, feeling the blood rush to my face.

"But I can," her voice calls from somewhere mid way down the ladder.

I quickly swing my legs over and climb down to land on the grass next to her. "How?" I ask, I'll admit it, a little angrily. After all, I was ready for a sympathy party back there and all I got was disbelief. It isn't exactly comforting.

She gives me a long, hard look. "He'd kill me if I told you," she finally says.

"Well I'll kill you if you don't," I shoot back, surprising myself. Threatening the Mai leader, Chloe? Not the best move. But then again, she isn't. Not now. Now she's just Jazz. Just my friend.

She rolls her eyes and sighs. "Fine. But you have to promise you'll never tell him I told you."

"Promise," I say quickly.

"A couple of years ago Alek was a total geek. He'd somehow managed to find a girl willing to date him, and trust me when I say that he absolutely worshiped her. He bought her flowers constantly and literally followed her like a lost puppy. I have to say, as sick as I felt watching them, he was really good to her. Really sweet." She swallows and looks down.

"But?" I ask, because these stories always have one.

"But she cheated on him," Jazz says quickly. "He had worked all summer to earn enough money to buy her backstage tickets to her favorite band. You should have seen how excited he was when he bought them, Chloe. It was like the kid had bought the sun. He ran three miles to her house and found her kissing some older guy he'd seen around. He was completely heartbroken. He left the tickets on the ground and later found out that she went with her new boyfriend."

I find myself feeling broken for this younger version of Alek. How devastated he must have been...

"And that's how I know he'd never cheat, Chloe. He can't even stomach watching a movie where someone cheats. It's the one thing that always gets to him, no matter how numb or stand offish he pretends to be. He likes to seem tough, like he could date every girl in the world, but it's all an act. Anyone who really knows him can see through it in a second."

"I'm lost, Jazz." I say softly. "I don't know what to believe. I saw those text messages..." she starts shaking her head again and walking in the direction of my house.

"I don't care what you saw, Chloe. It isn't true."

I start to follow her and make a right turn on my block. Even from a few houses away I can see a dark silhouette standing by my front door and I instantly tense up.

"Calm down," Jasmine says, chuckling. "It's Alek."

I squint and realize that she's right. Jazz stops walking and gives me an encouraging smile. "Go on, hun," she says, pushing me gently with her finger. "He'll explain it all somehow. You'll see."

And at this point I so desperately want to believe him that I think I'll take any excuse he whips out.

Alek POV

She's here. I wring my fingers together nervously and try not to damage the roses I'm holding. This is it. With every step that she takes, my heart pounds harder. I haven't felt this nervous since...a while. Since a girl I'd like to forget. But I'd never wish that with Chloe. She could tear out my heart and crush it under her boot and I'd still want to remember her. Something about her makes me feel like I used to, before the heartbreak. Her innocence makes me feel naïve again. Like this is my chance to fall in love for the first time again.

And this time I'm strong.

This time I'm going to fight.

**yay :) now go review! **


	27. Chapter 27

**you guys are brilliant, you know that, right? i LOVED last chapters reviews-challenge completed! can i ask you to keep it up or is that asking too much? xD**

**this chapters gonna be a little on the shorter side (cmon, you knew it was gonna happen) bc i want to keep updating but i don't have time to write long chapters- so i think this is kind of a compromise? **

**nevertheless a lot is revealed (in my opinion anyway) and i want to hear what you think! **

Olivia Rezza's eyes slit in anger and she leans back in her seat. Her fingers run through her flaming hair and she tilts her laptop screen forward to chase away the glare. Leaning forward, she squints her eyes and raises the volume to the absolute highest.

"...I believe you," Chloe says, giving Alek a wry smile. "I don't know if I'd believe it from anyone else, but coming from you it feels true." Alek grins, eyes dancing, and slides one of the shorter roses beneath her curls.

Mrs. Rezza slams down the screen and pushes it away from her with disgust. All of her planning was burning to ashes because of some puppy love and a British accent! She had spent months brainwashing men and women on how to pretend to be suicidal. She trained them in the fine art of becoming immune to poison and disappearing under a false identity. And for _what_?

Her eyes, out of habit, scan her desk, until they rest on a young man's smile, surrounded by a wooden frame. All previous fury is forgotten, as she lovingly traces the outline of the picture. Brian. The angel of a boy.

She had seen it in his eyes, and she knew it wasn't going to go away.

Damn that Simone. She had figured it out so quickly.

The elderly women, now looking twenty years older than just a few moments before, wearily slides open the top drawer. The picture sleeps face down but she sees his face in her mind's eye. She reaches to flip it over, but hesitates. Not today. She doesn't have the strength to see him today. After a moment she slides the drawer closed and closes her eyes, lightly rubbing her forehead. She feels what seems like layers of wrinkles underneath her fingertips.

Mrs. Rezza walks over to the oval mirror hanging in the hall and gives herself a long hard look. _Time has defeated you,_ she can't help but think bitterly. _Beauty fades and all you would die for years ago is hopelessly out of reach. _

_My times is almost over, _she almost says out loud, but doesn't have the courage. She traces the mirror as she traced Brian, and she could cry at how alike they are.

"Doomed to love what is forbidden," she whispers, and for the first time in years, a tear cascades down her cheek. She picks it up with her fingertip and brings it forward to her eye. The woman squints, as if she isn't sure what she's seeing is possible.

"You old hag. You have feelings after all," she says giving herself a cynical smile.

After all, it is feelings that propels her to stay alive. She might have screwed up her own chance at love, but she is going to save it for Brian.

She walks back over to her computer and slowly lifts the screen. After hastily typing in the password, Chloe and Alek jump back into motion. He's whispering something into her ear and she's giggling, tucking a stray strand behind the ear decorated with rose petals. Mrs. Rezza feels the anger start to burn inside her again. Didn't the girl care? She didn't deserve Brian, really. But if that was what he wanted, that was what he would get.

A few texts hadn't been enough. It was time to take this to the next level.

**time to get clicking!**


	28. Chapter 28

**hey guys! i'm taking all of your reviews to heart. i'm updating "soon" (whatever that means) and showing you this chapter from Alek's point of view, which I know you wanted. see the end for something exciting! :) **

Alek POV

"I'm done playing games," I say softly, scaring the hell out of myself with what I'm about to say. I made a fool out of myself last time, what makes me think this time will be any different? Nothing. Except... maybe things are different now. We're closer now, Chloe and I. I'd like to think I'm a little more mature. After all, I did chase Chloe after she ran out of the club, instead of my initial instinct which was to kiss Mimi even harder than before. And I didn't punch Brian in the face that time I saw Chloe watching him. All in all, I think I've been quite the Prince Charming.

"What are you saying, Alek?" She asks, though something in her tone makes me believe she knows exactly what it is I'm saying.

"No more Mimi," I state clearly. "No more Brian." She flinches. "Just...you and me."

"Brian's my friend, Alek..."

I bite my tongue. Now isn't the time to scream, Alek. That won't convince her that you're better than him. Ah, finally. A sensible thought.

"Chloe, we've tried this. It doesn't work._ I get jealous when I see you talking to him. _There I admitted it. Now, please, don't make this hard-"

"You're the one making it hard!" She yells back. Bastet, why does she have to be so defensive over him, especially when I'm trying to _fix_ everything? I run my fingers through my hair, frustrated beyond belief. "Tell me what you want, Chloe. Right now. Enough with the running and dodging," I take a breath and try to lighten the mood. "My pride can't take it," I say with a gentle smile, but I suspect my eyes are saying anything pleasant.

Now she's the one looking exasperated. "I don't know!" she whines. "Why does this have to be so difficult? Why can't we be whatever we are without me having to give up my friends? I wouldn't ask you to give up your friends!"

My jaw tightens reflexively, and I can't seem to unlock it. "Fine. So you keep on flirting with Brian, and I'll go on fooling around with Mimi. Everything will stay the same. Is that how you want it?"

Her eyes fill with water and my heart tightens in my chest. Tears? She has to bring _tears_ into this?

"Of course it isn't what I want, Alek," she says angrily, wiping her cheeks with her sleeve absentmindedly.

"We can't keep dancing around this, Chloe," I say, more pleading now than anything else. "It's making us both miserable." I wonder how I could have even possibly been "cheating" on her with "Alice" if we weren't anything to begin with. I decide not to bring that up though, because after all, I'm not the one with seven lives here. "Just...decide." I try to say simply. As if my whole world isn't resting on her answer. As if I'd be able to live with her rejection.

She looks at me with pained eyes. "...I can't do it," she whispers.

Really? It's so incredibly hard for her to choose between me and the human? For God's sake, doesn't she have an _inch_ of the feelings that I have for her? Besides, I'm **Alek Petrov**. I can get any girl I want, and this girl thinks she can just toy with my emotions forever while she plays with her human on the side. Does she not understand how sick I am of these games? Am I not making myself crystal clear?

"Then I do believe we're done here," I say, my voice low and furious. I turn on my heel and try to put as much distance as I possibly can between me and the King residence. I can vaguely hear her call my name and I push myself even harder to escape the noise. My head is throbbing, though not nearly as hard as my heart.

When I get to the apartment I slam my bedroom door closed and tear off my shirt, whipping it to the corner of the room. I fall back on my bed and fold my hands behind my head. Who needs her anyway? Just then, Jasmine (bless her soul the girl has such timing) pushes my door open with such force it hits the wall behind it with a loud _thud_.

"What the hell, Alek?" she yells and I feel like she's been saying that to me a lot lately.

"What?" I answer, just as cross.

"You're supposed to be making up with Chloe now, not hiding in your bedroom _sulking_."

I give her a dark chuckle and glance around my room. "Icecream? Nope. Chick Flick? Hell no. Tissues flooding my floor? Not that I can see. No one sulking here," I say with a pleasant smile.

Jasmine gives a deep sigh that reminds me of Valentina and I almost allow myself to sink into that heavy depression but I force the thought away. Now isn't the time for mourning or sulking or anything that anyone thinks I'm weak enough to give into. Like I said, **Alek Petrov** here, people. It's about time I slipped back into that confidence. The arrogant yet completely _safe_ mask I wore before Chloe King decided to ruin it all.

"Grow up, Alek." she says tiredly, rubbing her eyes. "I have to go meet with the Mai counsel. I don't have time for your immaturity." She looks at me and I meet her eyes. Hers are worn out and I can only imagine mine are looking anything but, even though deep inside that's exactly what they are. After a moment she shakes her head and closes the door behind her, and this silence of disappointment is the worst thing I've had to fight all night.

**poor Alek :(**

**ready for the exciting part? **

**it's a mini contest. basically, the best review on this chapter gets their name (or any name they give me) included in the next chapter somehow. if you're anonymous post the name with your review or i won't be able to contact you. if you have a username then either post it with your review or send me a message with it. good luck! i can't wait to see what you write so i can begin the next chapter :) **


	29. Chapter 29

**hey guys! thank you so much for your beautiful comments! the winner was maigrlchloe. She's in this chapter as krissy, just basic introduction, but she's going to be a really big part next chapter. also, jesse, your comment was so sweet and just by saying you didn't do it to win, i had to put you in here. enjoy!**

Chloe POV

I'm not gonna cry. I'm not gonna cry. I am _not_ going to cry.

It's funny how telling yourself something almost never makes it true. I take in a sharp breath as the first tear rolls down. My fingers instinctively brush it away and I make my way inside. Mom sits at her desk, glasses perched on her nose, as she punches a few numbers into a calculator. I try to sneak past her, but her mom radar goes off and she looks up, a vision of stress.

"Honey, we're gonna have to cut down a little bit this month, okay?" I give her a small smile and a quick nod. "Yeah, no problem," I say, trying to keep a straight face. It's no use though, I hear his voice in my mind. _I get jealous when I see you talking to him_. As adorable and sweet as that line was, especiallysince it was coming from _Alek_, I couldn't deal with what it implied. Just because he gets a little jealous, I have to drop one of my closest friends? Sure, we aren't really talking so much anymore because of Lady Giggles, but we're still friends. As a matter of fact...

"I have to go make a call," I say quickly and turn to run up the stairs.

"Sure," she says going back to her calculations. "And Chloe?" she calls, eyes still on the table.

I swivel back only to see her hair. "Yeah Mom?" I ask impatiently.

"Come down when you're ready to talk about what's bothering you," she turns around for a second and gives me a gentle smile. I grin back, tears filling my eyes, realizing how sad I was when I thought she hadn't noticed.

"Will do," I reply, then dash up the stairs and dive for my phone. Brian would know what to do. Brian _always_ knew what to do.

I sunk into my bed and closed my eyes as it rang. Over and over and-

"Hey," his deep male voice made my eyes fly open, as a smile smoothed out my lips. I didn't realize how much I missed him until I-

"It's Jessie!" Brian's voice is replaced with a girl's, musical and airy.

"and Brian," he adds, and I can hear the smile in his voice.

"We're not here right now," she chimes.

"So leave a message," he finishes off and the beep rings loud. I'm stunned to silence and instead of leaving the message I'd planned out in case he didn't answer, I simply hang up.

So Giggles is Jessie. They're...dating. My heart sinks and I wrap my arms around my pillow. I guess he didn't really love me after all, since he'd only known the girl for... I don't even know how long. I clench my eyes shut tight as I remember the first time I met him. From the back he had looked like any other customer, but when he turned around he stole my breath. It wasn't just how incredible cute he was, it was that boyish smile and just the way he spoke. Hey. One word and I was melting into the ground. "I love this song," he said, and suddenly I was fumbling madly. "I just-" I had tried to say back in a casual light tone, but the manikin I was leaning on slipped and I slid a little with it. "...said that," I finished awkwardly, shoving the hat that had fallen back into its place. The conversation after that was a little stiff, but cute. I remember smiling and laughing at his adorable expression when he put the hat on. And that's just the first memory... Driving in his car, visiting his grandmother, figuring out what had happened to his mom, all of it. It had become a part of me and now my heart aches with the thought that he's sharing it all with someone else. I've become obsolete.

I pull my phone back to my ear, and with a heavy hand call my friend Krissy. What, I have more than four friends you know...

She picks up on the first ring. "Hey King," she says sadly. "Make me smile."

I laugh at the irony. Call a friend for sympathy and you'll end up giving it. "What's wrong?" I ask, genuinely concerned. Krissy isn't the depressed type.

"Ugh, I don't even really want to talk about it. So...how's Alek?" she says brightly, but there's something weird about her tone.

"I don't know. He isn't talking to me."

"What?" she asks, though to be honest she doesn't sound too upset. I explain what had happened to her and she's mostly quiet. After about twenty minutes of venting, she says she has to go and I hang up. After watching The Notebook and eating a candy bar I had stashed in my drawer, I finally drift off to sleep, ready to welcome any nightmare that comes my way. Anything is better than this.

**i don't know if any of you have read maigrlchloe's stories (they're_ amazing_) but at the end of a few of them when she's asking for reviews, she says "make me smile!" and so i made her character say it too :) remember to review so i can start writing the next one!**


	30. Chapter 30

Hey guys! (Sorry for all the email notifications- I kept trying to edit something and it just wouldn't let me!) So for a little while I kind of thought of just giving up on this story (which is why it took so long to update) but after a very convincing argument from **The Brain of Ivane** i've decided to NOT be like the show, and just cancel on whatever fans I have, but rather write another chapter and see how it goes. (btw everyone should go read her fanfic on the nine lives right NOW because it's seriously one of the best ones out there in my opinion) Anyway, in honor of the 30th chapter, I give you four POVs and a startling plot twist. enjoy!

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><p>Alek POV<p>

When I get to school, I'm slammed with a wall of noise. It's like someone lit the high school population on fire, and they're all abuzz, swarming like bees about to sting. It's just so _loud_. I turn to one of my human friends, Grant, and punch him lightly on his arm. He turns, looking annoyed. "What?" he asks, and I realize I've pulled him away from some girl pressed up against his locker. She appears frustrated too at first, but then she sees me. After her eyes scan me quickly up and down, a sick smile purses on her lips and her eyelashes go into a spastic flutter. Disgusted, I turn back to Grant.

"Do you hear that?" I ask, barely able to hear myself.

"Hear _what_?" he asks impatiently, twitching to get back to the girl.

"Never mind," I mutter, turning away and heading down the hallway.

My Mai senses are going crazy, making everything sound louder than it actually is. I've got to get a hold of myself. Just as I'm spinning the dial on my locker, someone taps me on the shoulder.

"What is it, Jasmine?" I ask tightly, remembering our little spat the night before.

"Have you seen Chloe?" she questions, voice laced with concern and anxiety.

I spin the dial and pull the door open, scanning the shelf for something I can't place and eventually give up, turning to her. I'm about to say it isn't my job, but it so clearly is that I feel the humor will be lost on her.

"No," I retort simply and grab a random textbook, "and I don't quite plan on it either."

Her eyebrows furrow, lips set in a slight frown.

"I know you don't mean that," she says, her tone pure disappointment.

Dear Bastet, she reminds me too much of her mother sometimes. With a heavy, aching heart I push my locker door closed, and with a click that deafens my sensitive ears, I begin to walk away.

"Alek!" she calls from behind me. "We need to find-" but that's the last thing I hear her say, as I slip on a pair of soundproof headphones.

We don't need to find _anyone._ Chloe has to start finding _herself_. As of last night, she made her choice perfectly clear, and as of today she's going to start feeling those consequences.

Grandmother POV

_Who the bloody hell is Jessie?_ Mrs. Rezza wants to know, as she flings her hot cup of tea across the room. It hits the opposite wall and the shards of glass explode onto the marble floor, glittering dangerously. Isn't Brian in love with Chloe King? Hadn't Olivia done everything in her power to separate King from that British cat boy? She runs her tired fingers aching with fibromyalgia through her crisp red hair, and slams her phone down on the table. My, their relationship had moved fast if the girl was already on Brian's answering machine...

She realizes that she hasn't heard from Brian in a while, and she's beginning to wonder what kind of lies his father has told him. Or even, what kind of lies Simone has told her son. Perhaps Simone herself believes she's dead, which would be convenient. Olivia will reveal herself when the time is right, and the advantage is in her favor. Until then though, it's important to find out what kind of role this Jessie plays, and who Olivia would really be harming by trying to separate the two Mai love birds.

Olivia glares at the broken glass, frustrated. There was something in her grandson's eyes as he introduced her to the Uniter. Something that breathed love. She couldn't chase that feeling away, even in the depths of her slumber. That look haunted her and painfully reminded her of the same expression her late husband used to give her. Love like that doesn't disappear overnight, so what had changed to cause Brian to act in this erratic, unexplainable behavior?

Brian POV

This is wrong, I think for what seems to be the ninth time today. Jessie's head is on my shoulder and my arm is resting around her. We're sitting at the bus stop where Chloe should have walked by to get to work, but never did.

"This is wrong." I say out loud. Tenth.

"Would you stop worrying?" Jessie hisses in a tone that I have to admit, worries me. "There's nothing wrong with you dating someone else," she adds in a reasonable voice.

"But we aren't dating-" I try to say.

"No one else knows that," she responds in a sickly sweet voice, and every inch of me is aching to pull away. But I can't. Because we have a deal. "Blonde," she says briskly. "Six o clock. Pucker up."

I barely have time to recover from the nausea before her lips are pressed against mine. As soon as she pulls away I look all around me to try to get a glimpse of Chloe. Jessie rolls her eyes, annoyed. "Stop it. You look pathetic. Besides, it was a false alarm."

I sink a little farther into the bench and begin to wonder if the prize is going to be worth this heavy price. I can't help but hear that little voice whisper, nothing is worth this.

Chloe POV (rewind to that morning)

My alarm is blaring but I ignore it. I can't hit the snooze button again, or it'll give up on me and I'll never get to school. After a few minutes, my mother comes in and hits me with a painful light. I see red from behind my closed eyelids and let out a moan, yanking my pillow out from under my head to cover my sensitive eyes. "I cant." I say simply from under the muffling cloth. "Not today." I hear her take the few steps needed to get to my bed, and feel her gently easing the pillow away from my head. I feel her hand against my cheek, soft and soothing and something cold is pressed against my temple. What? My eyes fly open to see a woman with red hair and a malicious grin on her wolflike face, and soon realize that against my forehead is a gun, and her finger is resting on the trigger. "Sweet dreams, Chloe King," she says softly, and then there's a click and a boom, and all is pain and darkness.

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><p><em>Good gosh, so many questions! What, you don't see them? Alright, fine. I'll point them out for you then. What happens to Chloe? How many lives does she lose? What did Krissy tell Alek that would render him speechless? What is Olivia Rezza planning on doing? What the heck is going on between Brian and Giggles- I mean Jessie? What's their "deal"? Have you read The Brain of Ivane's story yet? (the answer to the last one should be YES) Should I keep writing? Also please don't let my possible cancelation stop you from leaving a review on the actual story.. I wan't to hear why you like it, not just that you do. Have a great day! <em>


	31. Chapter 31

_A really short chapter to hold you guys over until I can sit down and properly write a longer one. I wrote this one in the past tense by accident, let me know if you like it better? Enjoy and remember to review! _

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><p><strong>Alek POV<strong> _(keep in mind that Alek doesn't look up from the paper until I tell you. Any descriptions he makes is peripheral vision. It'll help with the mental image) _

I was sketching a black puma when a lanky brunette with big timid eyes stepped directly in front of me, silent. After a moment of listening to her awkwardly shift from foot to foot and play with her twitching fingers, I decided to speak up, though hardly in the mood for idle conversation. "Cat got your tongue?" I challenged playfully, as I continued to design the shape of the feline's eyes. Her whole body jerked and it seemed as if I had caught her off guard. Odd to say the least, unless she'd somehow fallen asleep standing up. The girl cleared her throat quickly and swallowed. "I, uh, didn't realize you knew I was here," she said finally, in a strangled sort of voice. I forcefully placed down my pencil, realizing now I had to flirt with the human because the classroom was filled and it was expected. "Hard not to," I remarked smoothly as I fully inspected the girl for the first time. I instantly recognized her as one of Chloe's friends, Krissy. She was one of the quiet girls who Chloe had immediately taken a liking to, though honestly I always thought her a little dull. Krissy wasn't ugly, just authentically plain and perfectly human. Not my type. _Attaboy Alek, there's that inner jerk. _The girl's face was stained with a deep blush and she looked down, smiling. "I wanted to ask you something," she mumbled to the floor. My first thought was, _maybe it's about Chloe_. Why else would one of her random friends come talk to me, especially this one who's so shy it's practically agonizing? "Anything," I responded easily, already anticipating the news. _She wouldn't want me telling you, but she's really sorry_, I imagined. _Brian's a loser who puts animal hats on his head to distract you from his atrocious face_. She glanced up at me for a moment but then hastily stared back at the ground. "Would you...would you possibly..." _Want to punch Rezza in the face? Why yes, I would._ "want to go to the dance with me?" she spat out, face burning a deeper shade of red than I've seen in a while. Dumbfounded and positively speechless I uttered one of my best remarks yet.

"_What?_"

**Simone POV**

Simone's lips parted in a small smile as she lowered the gun and lazily flicked a lock of hair from her visage. She needed to watch the Uniter die. After all, she had given her word. The victim's eyes were widened and distant, growing blurry as they stared at nothing. Blood spilled from her temple and danced down the sheets, contaminating it with a deep red. Simone rested an agitated hand on her bony hip and leaned against the bed frame. "Not so powerful now, are we kitten?" She whispered in a voice that stung with deep rooted hatred. The Uniter tried to gasp, but ended up choking on her own blood. She began making suffocating noises that would cause most to shudder, but only infuriated Simone farther. "You little _baby_," she spat and jammed a stained rag into the Uniter's mouth, silencing whatever little noise the girl had managed to make. "Wouldn't want to wake mother, now would we? She'd come in asking questions and I only know one way to answer," Simone disclosed cruelly, lifting a slender arm to exaggerate the armed weapon in her possession. At that point the Uniter could fight no longer, and with shuttering eyes she drew her last strangled breath.


	32. Chapter 32

_300 reviews! you guys are INCREDIBLE! i'm gonna try answering reviews from now on, so be sure to leave one :) this chapter's a little longer than my usual to show my immense gratitude. feel free to leave ideas in your reviews, i'd love to hear what you guys want to see so i can try to work it in somehow. enjoy!_

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><p>Simone POV<p>

Simone was running out of patience. It had been at least forty minutes since the ringing shot, and the sedative she had given Meredith was only going to last for so long. The last thing she wanted was human blood on her hands, but if she had to do it in order to achieve what Zane couldn't, she would. Simone began pacing around the medium sized room, gun twitching at her side. Had she miscalculated? Had someone else shot the girl and no one informed her? Was it possible that the Uniter had run out of lives? This last thought tugged her lips up into a cruel smile, but she couldn't fully accept the victory unless she was certain. The Order's elders would be quick to finish her off if she gave a false report. Simone quickly crossed the room to where the girl lay, a bloody gaping hole in her right temple, lips closed peacefully. Frowning, she pinched the Uniter's nose and waited a few minutes. She felt ridiculous doing so, but perhaps the girl had found a way to come back without letting Simone know about it. She glanced at her watch and then briskly walked over to window, pressing her body against the wall and peering through the blinds. So far the Mai hadn't realized the guards supposedly protecting Chloe were dead, but they would soon and Simone had to be gone by then. She had refused to bring backup, reasoning that it would be harder to sneak around, but she knew that it was really due to her bruised pride. Zane had been hers, he had failed, and no one was letting her forget it for a moment. Zane had tried reasoning with her that the leader and her daughter were dead, but once it was discovered that Jasmine was alive and well, he quickly began losing his bargaining chip. Besides, the goal was the Uniter, and after waiting another twenty minutes, Simone decided the girl was finished and she began making her escape.

Alek POV

_Bloody Idiot. _Krissy's eyes began welling up and I couldn't help but squirm uncomfortably in my seat. I don't do very well with tears. I've seen Chloe cry, what? Once? When she freaked out over being the Uniter in the very beginning, and I didn't know what to do with myself. "Look, Krissy-" I began saying when my phone vibrated on my desk. Jasmine. Thank Bastet... I picked up the phone and stood up quickly. "We'll finish this later?" I suggested quickly, then ran out before she could answer.

"What is it?" I asked Jasmine, already in Mai attack mode. I was practically running through the halls, speeding past the slow moving blurry faces. Jasmine rarely calls, more often than not she finds me in person. The last time I remember her calling was when Chloe was poisoned and I'd gone with the wrong healer...

"I'm at Chloe's house-" she said, in a quiet voice that I've never heard her use before.

"What? Why?" I asked, anxious as hell that her fear was somehow connected to Chloe. My steps came faster, heart pounded louder.

"I was worried that she wasn't in school and she wasn't answering her phone and I couldn't find you and I wasn't going to worry you too," she was rambling, and she knew it. "...Alek, we've failed once again." she finished in a broken voice. My feet came to a sudden halt, lurching me forward as I froze. "I came to Chloe's house and the guards were dead, Alek." Black started clouding my vision. There were too many people, pushing against me. Too much noise, slamming against my ears. "The worst part is, she isn't waking up. There's no attacker in sight, which means she had to have been shot a while ago-" I stopped listening and the phone slipped from my hand and flew down, crashing down to the tile floor. Chloe. My beautiful kitten. Torn open for the second time by a bullet. Where had they shot her this time? Visions of her covered in blood, various holes puncturing her body flooded my mind. I clenched my eyes tight and tried to shake the images away. Blindly, I shoved my way through the crowd, determined to get to her as quickly as I could. Determined to save her in the way only I knew how.

Simone POV (again?)

Simone knelt down behind a black sedan with tinted windows and peered through Chloe's window with a pair of binoculars. Valentina's daughter was standing right in her view, talking on the phone and glancing nervously at where the bed would be. That meant two things to Simone. First, the Uniter was still dead, which was a very good sign. Secondly, if she were to just raise her gun and aim, she would hit the guardian dead on. Sliding the folded binoculars into her pocket, she pulled out her gun and placed it directly on the roof of the car. Simone positioned her hands and shut her left eye, moving the weapon until Jasmine was standing directly in front of her target. "Ready, Aim..." she whispered to herself, smiling maliciously. "Fire." she hissed, but just as she was about to pull the trigger, the gun was yanked out of her hands from behind. Spinning around, she was face to face with one of the Uniter's guardians. A tall blond bloke, with death in his eyes. He quickly aimed the gun square at her face and watched as the color drained from her cheeks. "Can't take what you dish out, can you?" he growled viciously, taking a step closer. The gun was an inch away from her forehead. "That's right," she whispered, and before the boy could blink twice, she had eased a magic smoke ball from her pocket and slammed it against the pavement.

Alek POV (again!)

I waved my arm madly, coughing as the smoke began to seep into my lounges. _Damn it, NO!_ How could I have let Chloe's murderer get away? Why the hell was I making small talk when I should have been shooting, or knocking her unconscious at the _very_ least? My temper got the best of me and I ran up to the nearest car screaming, and smashed the gun against the window. To my surprise the glass didn't break, but rather my gun bounced off and sent me stumbling backwards.

"Gun proof, you idiot." I heard Jasmine mutter from Chloe's window across the street. Yes, our hearing is that good. "I didn't _shoot_ it," I argued back under my breath, rolling my eyes. I had to get over myself, Chloe needed me. Even if she really was... I gulped, unable to force myself to even think it. After one last glance in Simone's direction, I turned on my heel and sped off to try to be the guardian I had failed to be, because of once again, my emotions. I couldn't help but be bitter about it, there was no way to win. I confess my emotions, I'm rejected. I hide my emotions, Jasmine bites my head off for not being man enough. It seems as if every way I turn I'm running into another dead end. Whether Chloe and I are together or not isn't up to me anymore. I made my intentions perfectly clear, I thought to myself, jogging up the stairs, and then there I was. Directly in front of Chloe's door. It was shut tight, and I closed my eyes, hand on the knob, preparing myself. What I was about to see would scar me for the rest of my life, and I wanted to have one last moment remembering Chloe the way she was the last time I saw her. Thinking about whether or not we were going to be together was pure denial. The first step was making sure she was ALIVE. _Alek, open the door._ I calmly told myself. _She's okay, just open the door. _But I couldn't. My hand wouldn't budge. I leaned my head against the frame as the realization finally hit me. Soft sobs began to wrack my body as tears slid down the bridge of my nose. Hastily wiping them away, I stood tall, cleared my throat and squared my shoulders. _Alek Petrov doesn't cry, _I reminded myself. _Alek Petrov fights the situation until he achieves perfection. _Tightening my hand on the cold handle, it began to turn, and as I eased the door open, my eyes widened in shock.

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><p><em>darn that theregoesnash leaving us with another cliffhanger! who does she think she is? :P <em>


	33. Chapter 33

_heeeyyy guys... so, um, yeah. i'm still alive. miss me? :) _

_for a long time i kind of thought i wouldn't write another chapter and i'd just leave the story where it was, suspense and all, but you guys didn't give up! random new people commented and subscribed and demanded more, so here we are. thanks for sticking it out :) _

_p.s. im super sick right now so if anything doesn't make even a little bit of sense- let me know. i'll fix it! _

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><p><strong><span>Alek<span>**

Blood. Everywhere. Trust me, I've seen wounds before, but this one's like nothing I've ever seen, and I don't think it's because it's the first time I've witnessed Chloe with bullet wedged inside her skull. Though, trust me, the image is taking all of my strength just to stand upright. Taking a few staggering steps closer, I stand directly above her and reach a quivering hand to touch her beautiful, pale, porcelain face. Jasmine looks up at me with blood shot eyes, and tears spill openly down her face.

"Jazz..." I whisper softly, trying not to let what's happening puncture through the numb shield I just created in the hallway.

"I just... I don't know what... I was supposed to..." Her voice breaks with every sentence she gasps out and before I know it she's sobbing into my chest. Instinctually, I wrap my arm around her back and make soothing noises, but my eyes and heart are on Chloe. I have to blink a few times, long and hard, because it seems like the impossible is happening right in front of my eyes. _C'mon Alek, your whole life is impossible. Don't let reality trap you now. _

"Hey. Hey, Jazz," I shake her lightly and tilt my head towards Chloe. "Look."

"I know, Alek," she cries. "Don't make me see it again, I can't..." her voice leads off in agony.

"No. Jazz, _look._" I say with more force this time, using both of my hands to shift her shoulders so she's standing directly in front of the bed. She slowly tilts her head up and brushes away the wet hair that was sticking to her face, and I hear an inaudible gasp.

And then we both watch as Chloe's forehead stitches itself slowly, her body mending on its own in a way only the Uniter's can. We witness the color slowly making it's way throughout her body, leaking its way through like permanent marker, as her system gives itself permission to live again. We stand there and we watch because we realize that we are entirely helpless. Jazz and I can only do our best to protect the Uniter, but once she's been hit, it's up to her to bring herself back to us. Breathless, I fall to my knees and grab one of Chloe's slender wrists, clutching her fingers in between mine. Jasmine still stands to my side, stunned, and I hear her muttering old Mai incantations that sometimes the healers use to thank Bastet for helping in a time of desperate need.

"It's ok, kitten," I whisper. "You're safe now. Return."

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><p><strong><span>Simone<span>**

She stalled a few blocks away, fighting between the panicked need for survival and the growing desire within her to see the Uniter permanently destroyed. Straining to see behind her binoculars turned on the closest setting, she could barely make out the two Guardians standing together. It was a blurry image and certainly nothing she would depend on in normal circumstances, but for now it would have to be enough. She quickly pocketed any weapons that she was holding, and pulled out a long curly black wig with side swept bangs from her bag. If the Mai were half as good as she had been taught, they would have their soldiers out on the lookout for her. Therefore the first step was not to be _her. _Fake ID, fake social, fake identity. Simone might have been a Mai murderer, but Rachel Roseberry was a sweet, innocent new teacher, desperate to make her way through teaching her first high school classes. The principal had reminded her the day before to keep a special eye out for Alek Petrov, a brilliant mind. Her eyes narrowed as she remembered, she didn't need to be warned, he had been her number one target since her father had been murdered.

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><p><strong><span>Brian<span>**

Enough, I'm done. I've never felt so in control in my life, as I pull my cell phone out of my pocket and automatically dial Jessie's number. I feel sick as I hear her voice and mine, playfully bantering as we remind the caller to leave a message.

_Beep_

I take a deep breath and begin talking before I can stop myself. "Look, I don't know how you know what you do, but I'm starting to realize that everything you've been saying is just a big bluff and I'm tired of playing puppet. I love Chloe and I'm not going to let you and your mind games get in the way of that. I'll figure out the answers on my own, find someone else to play with."

I quickly hang up, not giving myself the option of deleting my message or rerecording. I know it can't be this easy, and with a deep dread I prepare myself for the returning call.

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><p><em>i tried my best to leave this one on a happy note, just in case it takes me another few months or so to write another chapter (i really hope that doesn't happen, but with life you never know...) so hopefully i won't be getting comments that yell at me for making this story more suspenseful than the show xD <em>

_however i AM looking forward to getting comments that critique this chapter, the story in general or even my writing. you can even tell me your favorite parts if you'd like ^.^_

_remember- you inspire me to write, so keep up the inspiration! _


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